The House of Representatives has asked the new administration to provide palliatives to mitigate the effect of the petroleum subsidy removal on Nigerians.

The resolution was contained in a report submitted by a committee set up last year to investigate subsidy.

The committee’s report was considered and approved on Thursday by the Committee of the Whole.

One of the recommendations adopted by the House is the procurement of CNG buses, which use gas instead of petroleum.

“The Federal Government should immediately design measures and palliatives to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal for Nigerians effective from this year 2023 through the provision and procurement of CNG buses as an alternative transport system with cheaper fuel consumption.

“The government should also introduce an intermodal, regional and national transport system to ease the mass movement of people across the country.”

It would be recalled that the declaration of the end of subsidies by President Bola Tinubu has led to an increase in the pump price of PMS across the country.

Transportation operators have also increased their fares due to the latest development.

Things you need to know today Sunday 19/03/2023..

1. Governorship and state Houses of Assembly candidates of the different political parties, their supporters and other stakeholders are in anxious wait for the results of the polls which were held on Saturday, even as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, began uploading of the results on its results viewing portal.

2. A former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State was not contesting against the Peoples Democratic Party, but against the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Police. Amaechi said this while addressing journalists after casting his vote at Ward 8, Unit 17 in Ubima Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.

3. A member of the All Progressives Congress has been shot dead in Cross River State. It was gathered that the incident happened on Saturday morning at Ogoja in the northern senatorial district.

4. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has arrested four vote-buyers in Sokoto and Katsina states during the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections on Saturday. The spokesperson for the ICPC, Azuka Ogugua, revealed this on Saturday night in a statement.

5. Governor Babagana Zulum, candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Saturday’s election, has secured the highest number of votes cast in Monguno Local Government Area of the state. While Zulum polled a total of 17,187 votes in the LGA, Mohammed Jajari, his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival garnered just 280 votes, leaving a margin of 16,907 votes.

6. Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, has reached out to his supporters who were attacked during Saturday’s governorship and house of assembly elections. According to Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, Labour Party gubernatorial candidate in the state, an agent of the party was gunned down during the election.

7. A former councillor of Getso ward, Ibrahim Nakuzama, has been reportedly shot dead over alleged ballot box snatching. Nakuzama was said to have been gunned down by security operatives in Gwarzo local government area of Kano, on Saturday.

8. The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano State have asked their supporters to march to collation centres. While Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, NNPP presidential candidate, made the call on his party’s behalf, spokesperson for the Gawuna/Garo Campaign Council, Malam Muhammad Garba, made the call for the ruling party’s supporters.

9. Fire on Saturday razed down parts of the second market in the metropolis, Gamboru Market, in Borno State. This is exactly three weeks after a fire completely razed the largest market in the state, Monday Market, also located in the metropolis.

10. A former President of the United States, Donald Trump, has said he expects to be “arrested” Tuesday over an alleged hush-money payment to a porn star in 2016. He urged his supporters to protest, as prosecutors gave signs of moving closer to an indictment.

Results of the governorship election held across 28 States in the country are being awaited.

Supporters of the various candidates and political parties are soaked in tension as the final announcement of results lingers.

All the serving and outgoing governors are also in hot seats, thinking of what may eventually become of their political career.

Two dominant political parties, the PDP and the APC have candidates in the entire 28 states for Saturday’s election but will have to do more work to win some states where the Labour Party, LP, have candidates.

In Akwa Ibom, Akan Udofia is the APC candidate. Other states are: Abia – Ikechi Emenike, Adamawa – Aishatu Dairu Binani , Bauchi – Sadique Abubakar, Kaduna – Uba Sani, Gombe – Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Delta – Ovie Omo-Agege, Borno – Babagana Zulum, Cross River – Bassey Otu, Jigawa – Umar Namadi, Kano – Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Ebonyi – Ogbonna Nwifuru, Enugu – Uche Nnaji, Katsina – Dikko Umaru Radda, Kebbi – Nasiru Idris, Kwara -AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Ogun – Dapo Abiodun, Nasarawa – Abdullahi Sule, Plateau -Netanwe Yilwatda, Rivers – Tonye Cole, Yobe -Mala Buni, Zamfara – Muhammad Bello, and Oyo – Teslim Folarin.

The PDP candidates across the country are: Okechukwu Ahiwe – Abia, Umaru Fintiri – Adamawa., Umo Bassey – Akwa Ibom., Ibrahim Mohammed – Bauchi, Titus Uba – Benue, Mohammed Ali Jafari – Borno, Sheriff Oborevwori – Delta, Peter Mbah – Enugu, Muhammad Barde – Gombe, Mustapha Sule-Lamido – Jigawa, Isa Ashiru Kudan – Kaduna, Muhammed Abacha – Kano, Aminu Bande – Kebbi, Abdullah Yahman – Kwara, Abdul-Azeez Adediran – Lagos. David Ombugadu – Nassarawa, Segun Sowunmi – Ogun, Seyi Makinde – Oyo, Caleb Mutfwang – Plateau, Siminialayi Fubara – Rivers, Sa’adu Umar – Sokoto.

But the LP have serious contenders in some states- Lagos- Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, Abia- Alex Otti, Enugu- Chijioke Edeoga, among others.

We reports that the exercise witnessed voter apathy in all the states of the federation, a development blamed on the outcome of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

However, many die hard supporters still made it a point of duty to file out for the exercise.

While the election was violent in some states, it was relatively peaceful in a few States.

Lagos, Delta, Benue, Osun, Niger, Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, among others, are some of the states where thuggery and shootings took the centre stage.

As of the time of filing this report, the outcome of the polls is still too close to call in most of the States.

In Lagos, Kwara and Oyo States, the incumbent governors are believed to be on their way to victory. However, in Enugu, Abia, and Benue States, the ruling party, PDP, are said to be struggling, with LP, APGA and APC, respectively, in early lead. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State is still uncertain of victory.

For Ebonyi State, it is a close call between the APC, APGA and the PDP. However, the two opposition parties are crying out over alleged hijacking of voting materials by the Governor David Umahi-led APC administration.

In Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike is said to be succeeding in his move to install a successor, with the former transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi crying out that his party, the APC was contesting against the PDP, the INEC and the police. He added that there was a total failure of governance in the country.

Kaduna, which is one of the states of interest remains undecided, with the PDP accusing Governor Nasir El-Rufai of massive vote buying.

In the next hours, governors-elect would have emerged across the 28 States, bringing to an end weeks of anxiety and tension.