By George Mgbeleke

The Senate, on Wednesday, at plenary passed the 2024 South-East Development Commission Act Amendment Bill, 2025.

The upper legislative Assembly carried out the amendment following the presentation of the amendment bill by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti), during plenary session.

The bill was given accelerated passage since it had gone through first and second readings, following the suspension of Senate Rule 7(1).

Presenting the bill, Bamidele noted that the bill sought to amend the South-East Development Commission Act 2024, to reconcile the lacuna that exists in the Act as it relates to the appointment of executive directors

He explained that the amendment became necessary so as to ensure uniformity and equality.

“You may recall that we debated and passed the South-South, South-West and North-Central Development Commission amendment bills yesterday.

“The South-East Commission was inadvertently omitted from the list,” he said.

The Senate had resolved that there should be uniformity and equality in the development commissions, hence the need for the amendment,” Bamidele said.

Consequently, the Senate Leader pleaded with his colleagues in the apex Assembly to expeditiously pass the bill.

After listening to Bamidele’s persuasion, the Senate then went into a clause-by-clause consideration of the document and subsequently passed the amended bill.

By AbdulRahman Obaje
Alhaji Suleiman Yunusa, the National Director, Mobilization and Contact, Nigeria Liberty Movement, NLM says there is need for every stakeholders in Allied Peoples Movement, APM and Nigeria Liberty Movement to collaborate in a way that would see to the fruitfulness of the NLM political ideology.
A Capacity Leader that has been in the forefront of grass root mobilization for NLM made this statement during an official merger and release of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC certificate by APM to NLM in Abuja, today Tuesday, May 13th, 2025.
Yunusa while commending the wisdom of the leadership and stakeholders of APM to merge with NLM said, “as the historic event of today has put the necessary power in the hands of NLM to fully partake and participate in any future political activities in Nigeria, we now need to put NLM ideology of creating a new breed of leadership to full motion and be in a continual collaborative synergy that will see to the empowerment of the down trodden.”
Hon Yunua thereby calls for continued supports and commitments of its mobilization team members, stakeholders and well-wishers across the country to go all out for grass root mobilization as this is a national call to action.
He also said, “I thank the Founder and the incumbent Chairman of the Allied Peoples Party, APM, Alhaji Muhammadu Musa Bagana, for his leadership and wisdom in merging with Nigeria Liberty Movement, NLM.”
“I also thank the National Chairman, Ambassador mesach Thompson, the National Director, Coalition, HRH, Ogah Attah Alhaji Tijani Musa and the National Director of Operation, Otunba Kingsly Adejumo for your sagacity and doggedness in seeing that the merger is a success”.
“I also each and everyone here that leave whatever you are doing and be here today to witness this epoch making event as it unfolds.”, he continued.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Muhammadu Musa Bagana, Founder and the incumbent Chairman of the Allied Peoples Party, APM said it is time to focus and dump any selfish interest now that the merger has put the necessary political power in the hands of NLM.
Bagana that is ably represented by APM National Organising Secretary/Personal Assistant to The Chairman, APM, Pastor Frank Oluwa said, “we are now full members of NLM and we ceased to operate as APM and I am saying this with full authority in the power vested on me.”
“I have the full authority to speak here today on behalf of the National Chairman and I am ably representing him here today. And if you are in doubt, you can put a call across to him and confirm it that this what somebody is saying now.”
He further admonished the leadership of Nigeria Liberty Movement to make a judicious use of the merger as the certificate is released to NLM on a platter of Gold.