Politics
US government shutdown averted as Senate passes spending bill

Published
2 days agoon
By
Ekwutos Blog
The US has averted a government shutdown after the Senate passed a Republican-led measure to keep the government funded for the next six months.
The stopgap funding bill passed in the Senate 54-46, as two Democrats joined all but one Republican senator in voting yes. President Donald Trump must now sign it into law before the Friday midnight deadline.
The key vote came earlier when some Senate Democrats, after fierce debate, allowed the measure to pass a procedural hurdle.
The Senate minority leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, and nine others broke with their colleagues to vote to advance the bill to its final Friday evening vote.
Two Democrats – Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Independent Senator Angus King of Maine – voted in favour of its final passage. Schumer voted “no”.
On Thursday, he announced he would vote to allow the measure to move forward, saying although it wasn’t a bill he liked, he believed triggering a shutdown would be a worse result.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez called Schumer’s willingness to let the spending bill proceed a “huge slap in the face”, adding that there is a “wide sense of betrayal” among the party, according to the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
She said supporting the bill “codifies the chaos and the reckless cuts that Elon Musk has been pursuing”, and that Senate Democrats who voted yes would be empowering “the robbing of our federal government in order to finance tax cuts for billionaires”.
The Democrats had agonised over whether to support the measure, and eventually pushed for a 30-day continuing resolution that was unlikely to earn enough support to pass.
Senator Ted Cruz accused the Democrats of conducting “political theater” and praised the bill’s passage.
“The government is funded, let’s get back to work,” he said in a statement.
The passage is a victory for Trump and congressional Republicans.
On Friday morning, Trump offered rare bipartisan praise of Schumer’s decision to let the bill advance, writing that “a non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights”.
The legislation would keep much of the federal funding levels from the Biden Administration in place, with some key changes.
It increases military spending by $6bn (£4.6bn), for items like border security, veterans healthcare, and military spending. But would cut non-defence funding by about $13bn.
Local officials in Washington DC had feared the bill would result in a $1bn cut in federal funds for the city over the next six months. However, the Senate approved a separate bill that kept its current operating budget intact, the New York Times reported.
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Politics
2027: I’ll support anyone willing to leave office after four years – Kenneth Okonkwo

Published
4 hours agoon
March 16, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesman, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said he would support either a southerner or a northerner willing to vacate office after a single four-year term.
Okonkwo stated this on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television, amid discussions about a coalition ahead of the 2027 election.
The Nollywood star-turned-politician based his decision on equity and fairness between the northern and southern regions of the country, in line with the unwritten rule of rotational presidency.
“Everybody should come together. It is something that can be discussed. Who is going to do four years will influence who I am going to support because I still believe in equity and justice,” he said.
Okonkwo, who resigned from the Labour Party in February, said he was open to joining a coalition aiming to unseat President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the next election.
Ekwutosblog reports that talks of a coalition have been gaining momentum, further fuelled by the recent defection of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, from APC to the Social Democratic Party, SDP.
The lawyer described the APC government as incompetent, insisting that the opposition must form a strong alliance to wrest power from the incumbent administration in the next election.
“My game plan is simple. If the opposition is serious about taking power from this incompetent government, they must unite and act as one because that was exactly what the APC did in 2013, which helped them win in 2015.
“I believe in coalition. When I was leaving, I said I was open to discussions with every group to consolidate the opposition so that we can remove this government,” he said.
Politics
Anambra South needs increased funding for infrastructure, quality education, healthcare – Amamgbo

Published
4 hours agoon
March 16, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
A Labour Party aspirant for the Anambra South Senatorial by-election for the replacement of late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, Donald Amamgbo has identified some of the needs of the zone, saying if given the opportunity to represent the zone, he will champion it.
Amamgbo, a respected legal practitioner and a player in the oil and gas sector, in a press release said his interest to represent his people in the Senate was to ensure development in the zone.
He said he will champion calls for increased funding for infrastructure development, maintenance and improved access to quality education and healthcare if elected into the red chambers.
He said, “My aspiration is anchored on my desire to provide quality representation and attracting meaningful projects that would better the lot of my people.
“My legislative agenda is all about listening to the concerns of constituents and representing their interest in the National Assembly, while collaborating with stakeholders to drive development and growth in Anambra South to ensure transparency, accountability and promoting the principles of democracy in Nigeria.
“My senatorial bid is built on a promise to deliver effective representation and champion the interests of Anambra South senatorial district. My vision is centred on key legislative priorities for economic empowerment, infrastructure development, education, healthcare, security and peace in Anambra South as well as the entire state.
“My approach to leadership is anchored in practical solutions and a people-first mentality. I will prioritize development, accountability, and compassion, offering a fresh perspective on service delivery. With my extensive experience in law, business, and humanitarian work, I am a force for positive change,” he stressed.
Politics
BREAKING NEWS: Senators and former ministers of Buhari are preparing to move from APC to SDP.

Published
10 hours agoon
March 16, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Strong signs that some of the former president Muhammadu Buhari’s ministers will turn to the Social Democratic Party altogether.
A senator in the ninth house of assembly, who talked with PUNCH newspaper on Saturday and asked for his name to be renamed, said at least 10 former members of Buhari are planning to return to SDP.
“What they are waiting for is the complete rule of the party in their states,” the sources said.
Our representatives have gathered that the top obedient to President Buhari’s next year include the former chairman of the All Progressives Congress National, Abdullahi Adamu; Former Federal Lawyer and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and former Senate Chairman, Ahmed Lawan.
El-Rufa’i has started taking action
One of Buhari’s loyalist and former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday transferred to SDP party, where he expressed the disagreement between him and the APC party as the first reason for making this decision.

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