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U.S. House still in turmoil with no speaker elected on 2nd day of voting
U.S. House still in turmoil with no speaker elected on 2nd day of voting
The U.S. House of Representatives remained in turmoil with no speaker elected on the second day of voting.
House members voted on Wednesday night to adjourn until noon Thursday, prolonging a historical political stalemate that has paralysed the lower chamber.
U.S. Congressman, Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, failed to secure enough votes three times earlier in the day due to intra-party division.
House members voted three times on Tuesday the opening day of the divided 118th Congress, but McCarthy fell short of the necessary votes to be the next speaker.
It was the first time a House speaker who maintained order, managed its proceedings, and governed the administration of its business on the lower chamber’s floor hadn’t been elected on the first ballot in 100 years.
The 435-seat House will have to vote until a speaker is elected with a majority of votes.
Before that, members cannot be sworn in and committees cannot be formed with the rest of the business stalled.
U.S. Congresswoman, Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, tweeted that the infighting “isn’t just a shame for Republicans, it’s bad for the entire country.”
U.S. President, Joe Biden, a Democrat, reacted to the political drama surrounding the House speakership vote on Wednesday morning.
According to him, it’s embarrassing the way it’s taking so long.
“How do you think this looks to the rest of the world?
“It’s not a good look. It’s not a good thing,” Biden told reporters at the White House before leaving for Hebron, Kentucky.
McCarthy has the support of most House Republicans and former U.S. President, Donald Trump.
But a handful of hardliners have opposed his bid to lead the conference by arguing that he is insufficiently conservative while refusing to decentralise the speaker’s power.
The House has elected a speaker 127 times since 1789.
There have been 14 instances of speaker elections requiring multiple ballots.
Thirteen of 14 multiple-ballot elections occurred before the Civil War, when party divisions were more nebulous, according to Congressional historians.
The last time a speaker election required two or more votes on the floor happened in 1923.
Harvard legal scholar, Laurence Tribe, tweeted on Wednesday that the House of Representatives, unlike the Senate, was not a continuing body.
“It must reassemble itself without full constitutional authority every two years, like someone rebuilding a ship on the open seas.
“But when the voyage is this rough, that’s a sign of dysfunction,” Tribe said.
All House Democrats have voted for Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, to be the speaker.
Though it’s unlikely for Jeffries to attain the position, he is set to become the first African American lawmaker to lead a party in either chamber of the U.S. Congress.
Republicans flipped the House in the 2022 midterm elections while Democrats held onto their majority in the Senate.
The new Congress convened for the first time on Tuesday, with U.S. Vice President, Kamala Harris, presiding over the opening of the 100-people upper chamber in which Democrats control 51 seats versus 49 for Republicans.
Chuck Schumer from New York and Mitch McConnell from Kentucky remain the Senate majority leader and minority leader, respectively.
U.S. House still in turmoil with no speaker elected on 2nd day of voting
News
Troops arrest three ISWAP terrorist logistics suppliers in Kwara
Troops arrest three ISWAP terrorist logistics suppliers in Kwara
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops under Operation Savannah Shield have arrested three suspected terrorist logistics suppliers in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Security sources said the arrests were made at about 7:35 a.m. on March 15 by troops stationed at a Forward Operating Base in Kaiama.
According to the sources, troops initially apprehended a suspect who was allegedly planning to supply three motorcycles to a terrorist group.
Further investigation led to the arrest of two other suspected terrorists believed to be members of Islamic State West Africa Province/Boko Haram, who had reportedly arrived in Kaiama to receive the motorcycles.
The suspects were said to be planning to transport the motorcycles to terrorists operating in Nuku village.
The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue.
Troops arrest three ISWAP terrorist logistics suppliers in Kwara
News
Maiduguri blasts: Police confirm 23 dead, 108 injured as security heightened
Maiduguri blasts: Police confirm 23 dead, 108 injured as security heightened
By: Zagazola Makama
The Nigeria Police Force in Borno State has confirmed that 23 persons were killed and 108 others injured following multiple explosions that rocked Maiduguri on Monday evening, in what authorities described as coordinated suicide attacks.
The incidents, which occurred at about 7:24 p.m., targeted crowded and strategic locations within the metropolis, including the Maiduguri Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office Flyover, Maiduguri.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, preliminary investigations revealed that the explosions were carried out by suspected suicide bombers using improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The coordinated nature of the attacks, which struck nearly simultaneously across different parts of the city, has raised fresh concerns about evolving tactics by insurgent groups seeking to undermine ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in the North-East.
Zagazola noted that the choice of targets particularly a major market, a hospital vicinity, and a busy flyover suggests an intent to maximise casualties, spread fear, and disrupt socio-economic activities in the state capital.
In response, a combined team of Police Tactical Units, military personnel and other joint security operatives were immediately deployed to the affected areas.
The scenes were swiftly secured and cordoned off, while the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit conducted detailed sweep operations to rule out the presence of additional explosive devices.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, led a high-level assessment visit to the affected locations, where he commiserated with victims and their families.
He assured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property, noting that enhanced security measures had been activated across the state.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency and the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, worked in coordination with medical teams to evacuate victims to hospitals, where they are currently receiving treatment.
Despite the scale of the attacks, authorities made the efforts to restore normalcy in the affected areas, with security presence significantly increased across Maiduguri and its environs.
Residents have been urged to remain calm but vigilant, particularly in public places, and to promptly report any suspicious movements or objects to security agencies.
The command also commended the resilience and cooperation of residents, reiterating its commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the state.
Maiduguri blasts: Police confirm 23 dead, 108 injured as security heightened
News
Troops nutrialised several Boko Haram terrorists in Yobe
Troops nutrialised several Boko Haram terrorists in Yobe
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Nigerian Army have nutrialised several Boko Haram terrorists after it successfully repelled a terrorist ambush along the Longlari–Kanama road in Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Security sources said the incident occurred at about 5:23 p.m. on March 14 when troops of the 159 Battalion Nigerian Army, B Company, stationed in Kanama, were returning from a routine patrol.
.According to the sources, the troops were ambushed by suspected terrorists along the Longlari–Kanama road near Mairari village.
The troops engaged the terrorists with heavy fire and neutralized several of them forcing many of them fo flee.
Following the encounter, the soldiers conducted exploitation of the general area to track the fleeing insurgents.
Troops nutrialised several Boko Haram terrorists in Yobe
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