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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2027: Gov Yusuf assures Tinubu of North support for his re-election
By Zubairu Idris
Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State, has assured President Bola Tinubu of the support of Northern Nigeria for his re-election during the 2027 general elections.
Yusuf gave the assurance on Saturday in Abuja at the inauguration of the Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A) campaign office, in a statement issued by his Director-General Media and Publicity, Mr Sanusi Bature.
He said the governor expressed confidence that the North would stand behind President Tinubu in the forthcoming election.
Bature qouted his boss as saying that the A4A movement would serve as a platform for mobilising support across the Northern states and strengthening political engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Kano as the leading state with highest number of votes in northern Nigeria will Insha Allah lead all Nigerian states to ensure victory of President Tinubu with massive turnout in favour of the APC,” Gov Yusuf said.
He explained that A4A movement is aimed at coordinating support for President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking at the event, Vice President Kashim Shettima said the North had demonstrated its support for President Tinubu.
He stressed that the political support must go hand-in-hand with accountability, good governance and tangible results that improve the lives of Nigerians.
The Vice President acknowledged the economic challenges facing citizens and emphasised the need for the administration to remain responsive to their concerns, while prioritising security, education, poverty reduction and economic opportunities.
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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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