Politics
McCarthy Voted Out As US Speaker
By nigeriancourier.com on oct 4, 2023
Republican Kevin McCarthy rode the tiger of far-right US politics led by Donald Trump to achieve his dream of becoming House speaker early this year. Then on Tuesday, the tiger turned and ate him.
The 55th speaker of the House of Representatives was booted out in a shock vote brought by rebels in his own party who have seethed in the nine months since McCarthy narrowly quelled their attempts to block him and managed to claim the most powerful job in Congress.
No other speaker — a position second in line from the presidency in the federal hierarchy — has been ousted in US history.
It was an undignified end — for now, at least — to an unstable, unauthoritative tenure by a lawmaker who made his mark as a so-called conservative “Young Gun,” only to get battered by his party’s shifting political currents.
Like many in Congress, he had berated Trump after the January 6, 2021 US Capitol riot. But the ambitious lawmaker sensed the winds changing and quickly reversed himself, making a public trip down to Florida to make peace with Trump — thereby securing crucial support for his speakership ambitions.
Once McCarthy, 58, got what he wanted, though, he faced an uncomfortable reality: his grip on power would from then on be at the whim of his party’s burn-down-the-house hardliners.
Compromise Kills
In May he strode into a tense standoff with Democratic President Joe Biden over authorizing an extension of the national debt limit.
He struck an 11th-hour deal to avert a catastrophic US debt default, and while he hailed it as a victory for conservatives — and good governance — he faced a backlash from hardliners who said he had made too many concessions on spending cuts.
His limited engagement with Democrats was again the subject of the far-right’s ire last week when he used votes from the rival party to stave off a government shutdown.
The move defied hardliners — and Trump — who advocated harsh tactics in pursuit of forcing massive spending cuts and bringing down the country’s $31-trillion-plus debt burden.
Haunted from the Start
McCarthy has described himself as an “optimist,” but there has been no placating the uncompromising right-wing of the Republican Party that flourished under Trump and never went away.
Simply to secure the speakership in January took him a record 15 rounds of voting to win and he finally got over the line only after making concessions to a bloc of around 20 far-right Republicans.
Analysts at the time immediately predicted this would come back to haunt McCarthy, by putting the hardliners in the driving seat.
One of those concessions was a rule change that made it possible for just one disgruntled member to call a vote for a new speaker of the House, effectively dangling a sword over McCarthy.
Backbencher Matt Gaetz, a Trump loyalist and emerging face of the far-right, seized on that change and filed the so-called motion to vacate the chair, leading to McCarthy’s ouster on Tuesday.
– Networker –
The speaker wields huge influence in Washington by presiding over House business and is second in line to the presidency, after the vice president.
Nothing prevents McCarthy from running for speaker again. But the question is: can his party overcome its internal feuds and hand him back the gavel, or will they turn to new blood?
McCarthy — who represents the conservative enclave of Bakersfield in liberal California — has been in politics for most of his adult life, as a state legislator and US lawmaker in Washington.
The son of a firefighter and grandson of a cattle rancher, McCarthy grew up in a working-class household.
He married his high school sweetheart and the couple still live in the first house they bought, where they raised two children.
McCarthy, first elected to Congress in 2006, has no major legislative achievements to his name and has never chaired a House committee, unlike each of the last three speakers.
However, the silver-haired, impeccably dressed lawmaker is a consummate networker, admired for his prolific fundraising and his people management.
AFP
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Former member of the House of Representatives, Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada, has declared his intention to contest the Kano Central Senatorial District seat, urging the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure free and fair primaries.
Sharada, who represented Kano Municipal Federal Constituency in the immediate past National Assembly, made the appeal on Thursday when he visited the APC State Secretariat in Kano to formally announce his ambition.
“I appeal to the national leadership of our great party to, for the sake of Allah (SWT) and His Prophet Muhammad (SAW), ensure fair play in our forthcoming primary election,” he said, drawing loud applause from his supporters.
Popularly known as Dan Karamin Sauro (small mosquito), Sharada said his decision was driven by a desire to contribute to the growth and development of Kano Central, leveraging his legislative experience and political connections.
“By the grace of Allah (SWT), I will be the next Senator to represent Kano Central in the National Assembly, and I promise that I will not fail my constituents,” he pledged.
He also assured of his commitment to strengthening the APC and supporting the re-election of President Bola Tinubu alongside Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, to sustain ongoing developmental programmes.
Welcoming the aspirant, APC State Chairman, Hon. Umar Haruna Doguwa, described Sharada as a grassroots politician who had consistently worked for the progress of his people.
Doguwa further assured that the party would provide a level playing field for all aspirants in the forthcoming primaries.
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The Katsina State Commissioner for Environment, Hamza Sule-Faskari, has resigned to contest for the Funtua Senatorial seat.
The decision was in compliance with the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for public office holders intending to contest in the 2027 elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the electoral body has directed all public office holders intending to contest to resign their positions on or before March 31, 2026.
Sule-Faskari announced his decision on Monday in Katsina when he visited the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abdullahi Garba-Faskari, to formally submit his resignation letter.
He expressed appreciation to the Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, for the opportunity to serve the people as a commissioner.
The former commissioner also reaffirmed his commitment to remain loyal and continue supporting the governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sule-Faskari further thanked the people of Katsina State for the support and cooperation they have given him during his tenure as commissioner.
NAN
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The concerned stakeholders and committed members of All Progressives Congress, APC in Demsa, Numan and Lamurde Local Government Areas of Adamawa have warned against factional politics for the unity and progress of the party in the state.
The stakeholders made the call during a joint press conference in Numan, led by Mr Paul Zidon, describing the recent defection of Gov Ahmadu Fintiri and his teaming supporters through due process to APC as welcome development.
He equally condemned the process followed by Hon. Kwamoti Laori, Member House of Representative for violating the due process.
According to him, Laori sidelined the duly recognized Local Government Executive Committee that represents the backbone of the party but selected three wards executive members each from Demsa, Numan and Lamurde to work with.
“This singular action is unacceptable. It undermines party structures, disrespects loyal members, and risks introducing dangerous factional politics into a party that our people have worked tirelessly to build.
“Let us be clear: APC in Numan, Demsa, and Lamurde is not a private political project belonging to a few individuals. It is a collective movement belonging to the people.
“Any attempt to bypass party structures, ignore elected executives, and create parallel political arrangements will only breed division and disunity.
“And we say today with one voice: “We reject factional politics. We stand for unity. We stand for party supremacy”, he said.
According to him, the strength of the APC lies not in individuals, but in the collective will of its members.
Zidon called on all party faithful to remain calm, united, and committed to the principles that brought them together-the shared vision of building a stronger Adamawa State and a better Nigeria under the APC.
The group appreciated the National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu and other stakeholders for his sacrifice and effort put in stabilizing the party and ensuring the realignment with defectors in the state.
“We wish to also use this opportunity to sincerely appreciate the visionary leadership of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose Renewed Hope Agenda continues to inspire millions of Nigerians and strengthen the foundation of the APC across the country” he said.
Mr Simon Ismael one of the stakeholder described the act as violation of the constitutional provision and urged the party to section ward executive that partake in violation of the due process.
All efforts to reach Laori to comment on the allegation label against him probe abortive.
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