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Tag: Ahmed Lawan

  • Kidnapping: Police deploy 600 Special Forces to Abuja-Kaduna road

    Kidnapping: Police deploy 600 Special Forces to Abuja-Kaduna road

    The Police high command has deployed 600 Special Forces and 90 high caliber patrol vehicles to curb increasing cases of kidnapping along the Abuja-Kaduna express way.

    Apart from the special forces and patrol vehicles, the Nigerian Army and the police have constituted a joint operation to halt kidnapping on the road.

    The Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, told his colleagues on Tuesday that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, briefed the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Police Affairs about the latest efforts to arrest kidnapping on the road.

    Lawan, who came under Order 43 (Personal Explanation), told the Senate that a joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives Police Affairs Committee was held on Monday in his conference Room on how to deal with the incessant kidnapping along Abuja-Kaduna road.

    He noted that the “mass kidnapping” and kidnapping of individuals have become a matter of grave concern to the two chambers.

    The Senate leader said the meeting requested for explanation from the IGP on the issue.

    He said Idris told the committee that there was already a joint operation of the police and the army to deal with the situation.

    Lawan said they accepted the police explanation.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, said the primary responsibility of government remains the security and welfare of the people.

    He said efforts would be made to improve the funding of the police for effective performance.

    Ekweremadu, however, asked the police to double its effort and tackle kidnapping and other related crimes in the country.

  • A’Ibom: Group urges Senate to swear in elected candidate

    A’Ibom: Group urges Senate to swear in elected candidate

    A civil society organization, Human Rights and Civil Society Alliance, has urged the Senate to obey court judgment and swear in Mr Bassey Etim as senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East.

    The Chairman of the group, Mr Gabriel Ojo, made the call at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja.

    Ojo said that allowing Mr Bassey Akpan to remain in the Senate, representing Akwa Ibom North-East in spite of existing court verdict removing him, called for concern.

    According to him, the senate is setting a bad precedence with its action on the issue.

    He, however, warned that the group would not watch and allow such flagrant disobedience of the law to continue.

    ”The Senate leadership has refused to obey the judgment of the court that it should inaugurate Bassey Etim.

    “The leadership is doing this under the guise that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is waiting for legal advice from lawyers on what to do with the positive order of the court.

    “We are appalled by the fact that the senate leadership is not only disobeying the court order but encouraging double standard in the Red Chamber.

    “In order to discourage this show of brazen insult on the nation’s highest office of people’s representation, we call on the senate leadership to obey the court order and swear in Senator-elect, Bassey Etim,’’ he said.

    On a recent communiqué issued by Coalition of Concerned Lawyers (CCL) criticising the senate for previously obeying court orders over swearing-in of senators from Kogi-East Senatorial District, Ojo said it was misleading.

    He said that CCL’s support of Bassey Akpan was aimed at creating confusion in the minds of Nigerians by alluding to the fact that the senate leadership acted then in error.

    He stated that the action of the senate in the Kogi case was a clear positive precedence, but wondered why it refused to honour similar court order in the case of Etim.

    On the excuse that Bassey Akpan had appealed the Federal High Court order, Ojo said “you do not need to be a lawyer to know that an appeal does not constitute a stay of execution.

    “ The 90-day ultimatum given by the court for Akpan to refund the salary and allowances he had collected as senator before the judgment has passed and he has not complied.

    “Instead, he has gone to several courts looking for order to stop execution which he has been denied.’’

    It will be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Uyo on Feb. 27, 2017, removed Sen. Bassey Akpan as senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East and replaced him with Sen. Bassey Etim.

    The high court, in the judgment on a pre-election dispute between Akpan and Etim, both of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asked Akpan to also refund within 90 days, all salaries and allowances collected.

    Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has retrieved Akpan’s Certificate of Return and issued a fresh one to Etim based on the court order.

    But, the Senate has failed to swear in Etim, saying it was seeking legal advice on whether or not to swear him in.

    The Leader of the Senate, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, had promised that the upper chamber would obey the rule of law.

  • Updated: Osinbajo is acting President – Senate

    Updated: Osinbajo is acting President – Senate

    What could have resulted in a major constitutional crisis over the medical leave embarked on by President Muhammadu Buhari was averted in the Senate on Tuesday.

    It centered on the ambiguity in President Buhari’s letter informing the Senate that he was proceeding on a follow up medical leave to London, United Kingdom.

    Relying on Section 145 of the Constitution which was also quoted in President Buhari’s letter, the Senate said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is Acting President since there is no provision for Coordinating Vice President in the Constitution.

    President Buhari had in letter dated May 5, 2017 which was read by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, informed the Senate that he would be away for a scheduled medical follow up with his doctors in London.

    The President also told the Senate that while he was away, the vice president will “coordinate activities of the government.”

    He said the length of his stay in London will be determined by his doctor’s advice.

    The letter read “In compliance with section 145 {1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. I wish to inform the distinguished Senate that I will be away for a scheduled medical follow up with my doctors in London.

    “The length of my stay will be determined by the doctor’s advice.

    “While I am away the vice president will coordinate the activities of the government. Please accept the distinguished Senate President the assurances of my highest consideration.”

    Hardly had Saraki concluded reading the letter when Senator Mao Ohuabunwa queried the wordings of the presidential letter through a Point of Order.

    Ohuabunwa, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, noted that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has no provision for a coordinating president of a coordinating vice president.

    He said the presidential letters to the Senate, the highest legislative body of the country “should be direct and unambiguous.”

    Ohuabunwa said, “Whenever the President transmits to the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or otherwise that he is unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such function shall be discharge by vice president as acting president.

    “Mr. President I don’t think in our constitution we have anything like coordinating president or coordinating vice president.

    “It is either you are vice president or you are acting president and any letter should be unambiguous and very clear.

    “So, am saying that this letter really does not convey anything because coordinating has no space or any place in our constitution.

    “We have been having letters like this and you tell us who is the acting president and we know who to deal with as a Senate.

    “This is the highest legislative body of the country and if you are sending us letter, it should be direct and unambiguous. So, I am saying that this letter for me is not right and maybe should be sent back.”

    Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, disagreed with the Point Order and asked the Senate to disregard it.

    Lawan noted since President Buhari cited Section 145 (1) of the Constitution in the letter, he was very clear on who should act in his absence.

    The Yobe North lawmaker said any other word contained in the presidential letter was irrelevant.

    Lawan said, “Mr. President, let me say that the Point of Order raised by my colleague and the explanation that subsequently followed shouldn’t have been.

    “I still rely on the first paragraph of that letter which Mr. President wrote to this Senate and read by the President of the Senate and I will read section (145) which reads whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation…”

    “Àny other word in this letter or indeed anywhere else is irrelevant. I therefore feel that Mr. President has done what the constitution requires him to do and I urge this Senate not to go ahead to discuss this because it is not an issue.”

     

     

     

  • Senate fails to lay 2017 Budget Proposal as promised

    The Senate on Thursday, failed to lay the 2017 Appropriation Bill in plenary, contrary to its promise to Nigerians that the bill would be passed before Friday.

    The tenure of the 2016 Appropriation Act would end on Friday.

    Against expectations, the Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, moved a motion for the bill to be stepped down till Tuesday. The motion was seconded by Deputy Minority Leader, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha.

    Lawan said that he had been informed that the budget would be ready and laid on Tuesday and therefore, urged the lawmakers to wait until that day to have the report from the Appropriation Committee.

    In his remarks, Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the plenary, explained that the development was to enable both chambers of the National Assembly to complete the budget harmonisation.

    He said that though the senate was billed to receive the report on Thursday, it was informed in the morning that it was important for “it to be on the same page” with the House of Representatives.

    “Let me emphasise for the benefit of the public that we were to receive this report today.

    “It was only this morning that it was necessary for us to be sure that we are on the same page with the House of Representatives to avoid any possible conferencing.

    “So, what we like to see is the House and the Senate laying just the same documents so that once we pass it, we will now send the documents to the President for assent.

    “I think it is important that the point be made and the public know that the harmonisation which is going on should be concluded over the weekend to enable us receive the budget report by Tuesday.

    “By the grace of God, we will have it passed by next week and we send it to the President for assent,” Ekweremadu said.

    He assured that the national assembly would do everything possible to see that the bill was passed next week in view of the fact that the tenure of the 2016 budget would end on May 5.

    According to him, the 2016 budget was passed on May 5, 2016 but under the Constitution, the Federal Government is entitled to continue to spend money based on the 2016 estimates up to June 30, 2017.

    “We will not allow us to get into the reliance on the constitutional provision. Hopefully, by the grace of God, we will have this budget passed next week so that implementation will start in earnest.

    “I just want to appeal for the understanding of the people of Nigeria, ”he said.

  • Senate begins screening of 27 Electoral Commissioner nominees

    Senate begins screening of 27 Electoral Commissioner nominees

    The Senate on Tuesday began the screening of 27 Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) nominees sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari for confirmation.

    Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, presented the president’s request for approval of the nominees at plenary in Abuja.

    After the motion, the senate directed its Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to screen the nominees and report back in two weeks.

    The nominees are Prof. Godswill Obioma, Abia; Ibrahim Abdullahi, Adamawa; Alhaji Ahmad Makama, Bauchi; James Apam, Benue; Mr Mike Igini, Delta; Dr Nwachukwu Orji, Ebonyi; Dr Iloh Chuks, Enugu and Hussaini Pai, Federal Capital Territory.

    Other are Sadiq Musa, Kaduna; Jibrin Zarewa, Kano; Mrs Asmau Maikudi, Katsina; Dr Mahmuda Isah, Kebbi; Prof. Samuel Egwu, Kogi; Dr Rufus Akeju, Lagos; Prof. Mustapha Zubairu, Niger; Agboke Olaleke, Ogun and Sam Olumekun, Ondo.

    The list also contained names of AbdulGaniyu Raji, Oyo; Prof. Riskuwa Shehu, Sokoto; Mr Kasim Geidam, Yobe; Ahmad Mahmud, Zamfara; Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, Plateau and Umar Ibrahim, Taraba.

    Mr Emeka Joseph, Imo; Obo Effanga, Cross River; Prof. Francis Ezeonu, Anambra and Dr. Briyai Frankland, Bayelsa, were also nominated.

    The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, directed that Sen. Suleiman Nazif (APC-Bauchi) should head the committee in the absence of its chairman, Sen. Ali Ndume, currently ona six-week suspension.

    “In the absence of the chairman, Sen. Ali Ndume, Sen. Nazif will head the committee and the report should be brought back to the Senate in two weeks,’’ Saraki said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Senate had, after the receipt of the list of nominees, threatened that it would treat it.

    Its grouse was the Executive’s handling of the refusal of the chamber to confirm Mr Ibrahim Magu as chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    In another development, the senate referred a list of three non-career ambassadorial nominees to its Committee on Foreign Affairs for scrutiny.

    The nominees are Justice Sylvanus Nsofor, Imo; Joseph Iji, Ondo and Yusuf Hinna, Gombe.

    The committee is to report back to the Senate in two weeks.

  • Senate may pass budget next week-Senate Leader

    Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan on Thursday said the Senate would conclude legislative work on the 2017 appropriation bill next week and pass it to President Buhari for assent.

    At the end of a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the senate leader said that the National Assembly had intended to pass the bill in March but could not.

    “The good news is that we are doing everything possible to catch up the lost time and that by the grace of God I am thinking that by next week we should be able to finish our own work and pass the budget for Mr President to sign.”

    The Senate Leader also confirmed that the Senate would screen the two ministerial nominees from Kogi and Adamawa as well as others who require confirmation by next week.

    On his visit to the President, he said that it was to get the right executive briefings as part of his responsibility to market all executive bills’ request.

    “I have come to meet Mr President as part of my continuous engagement with the executive to ensure that I get my briefings right so that I can always market Presidential and executive requests.

    “This is supposed to be a continuous process and that is essentially why I have come to see Mr President,’’ he added.

    He said such interaction should be maintained in the country in spite of the independence of the three arms of government.

    “I know clearly that there is independence of each arms and I also know equally well that there is so much interdependence between the two arms or even the three arms of government in Nigeria.

    “Therefore, we need to always close and narrow the gap,’’ the Senate leader said.

     

  • 2017 budget may be ready for Buhari’s assent next week – Senate Leader

    2017 budget may be ready for Buhari’s assent next week – Senate Leader

    The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, on Thursday said the National Assembly would ensure that the 2017 budget is ready for President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent next week.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Lawan said the Senate had intended to pass the budget in March but that was not possible due to issues beyond the lawmakers’ control.

    He said Nigerians should not worry about the budget despite the police raid on the residence of Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, even though it was reported that part of the documents carted away included the budget papers.

    Lawan said, “The good news is that we are doing everything possible to ensure that we catch up the lost time, I am thinking that by next week by the grace of God we should be able to finish our own work and pass the budget to Mr. President to sign.

    “There is nothing to worry about, the National Assembly had intended to pass the budget in March but due to some of the parameters that we had little or no control over we couldn’t pass it in March.

    “It was our desire and design to pass it this month but somehow something happened and all of you here know what happened. The house of one of our colleagues, the chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje, was raided by the police after a whistle blower gave information and when some documents were taken, part of the budget papers was also included.”

     

  • Buhari to Nigerians: Keep faith with `Change’ mantra

    President Muhammadu Buhari has said ‎his government’s change mantra required perseverance and endurance from Nigerians.‎

    ‎Buhari made the remark during the inauguration of the North-West zone of the National Committee of Buhari Support Group in Kano on Thursday.

    The President said he was desirous of seeing that Nigerians imbibed the ideals of “Change Begins with Me” as the much needed strategy of the present administration aimed at achieving the goals of a better Nigeria.‎

    Buhari, who expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their prayers and support, assured that Nigeria will be a country that cared for them all very soon.‎

    The President, who was represented by the Senate Leader, Sen. Ahmad Lawan, further assured the people that their sacrifice and perseverance would not go in vain as the administration was doing everything in its capacity to get the country out the current recession.‎

    “We need to re-strategise, but the planning period is always very difficult in any organisation or nation,” he stated.

    “Already, as you can see, the country is coming out of economic recession, soon the prices of commodities will go down, and generally things will take a good shape.‎

    “We call on Nigerians to be patient and not to lose hope.”

    He said the three key areas of the government was fighting insurgency, corruption and achieving sound economy.

    “I urge us to be prayerful and by God’s grace we shall get better and stronger as a nation,” the President added.

    NAN

  • Senate commiserates with British Parliament over terror attack

    The Senate has commiserated with the British Parliament over Wednesday’s terror attack outside the parliament in Westminster which killed three people.

    The Senate took the step following a point of order by the Leader of the Senate, Sen.  Ahmed Lawan, on Thursday’s plenary.

    “The Senate notes with utter sadness the attack by terrorists on the House of Parliament in Westminster,” Lawan said.

    He said the Senate believed “that the attackers carefully touched the legislature which is the mark of liberty and democracy”.

    Lawan said the issue of terrorism was no longer a local issue of any country but that any terrorist attack on any country was an action on all  those who cherished freedom from oppression and the right to be free.

    According to him, the Senate will not relent and must indeed continue to fight terrorism in whatever shape or form it takes, irrespective of where it is targeted.

    “The Senate recognises the long standing and historic relationship between the Nigerian Parliament and Westminster.

    “The Senate reiterates our earlier role as a parliament for broader cooperation against terrorism on a global scale and the need to build synergy and partnership in this regard,” it said.

    Contributing, Sen. Mohammed Hassan (PDP-Yobe), who seconded the motion, said: “This building (the Senate) is vulnerable to such attack.

    “The leadership of the Senate should take a very drastic measure to ensure that things like this are averted.”

    Sen. George Sekibo (PDP-Rivers) said “it was frightening when we heard of terrorist attack on the legislature.”

    “They want to discourage the legislature from saying the truth or functioning in their full capacity for the purpose in which the legislature is set up. We should not be afraid we should do our work as it is expected.”

    The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, described the attack as sad and horrifying.

    “The message is that any attack on any parliament anywhere in the world is an attack on all parliaments.

    “This Senate conveys our solidarity and support for our colleagues in the UK parliament and to the people in the United Kingdom in general.

    “We continue to stand together in the fight against terrorism,” he said.

     

  • We discussed national issues with President Buhari – Dogara

    We discussed national issues with President Buhari – Dogara

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has said that himself, president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, discussed national issues when they visited President Muhammadu Buhari in London  Wednesday evening.

    Dogara in a tweet via his verified official twitter handle @YakubDogara on said they discussed national issues with the President in the United Kingdom.

    The Speaker, according to a statement by his Special Adviser Media & Public Affairs Turaki Hassan further said “President Buhari is as fit as a fiddle and cracked jokes in his usual manner.

    “President is as fit as a fiddle, “after burning national issues, it was all PMB’s vintage humorous jokes. I’m so elated he is as fit as a fiddle.”

    Recall that the leadership of the National Assembly’s visit to the President is sequel to an agreement reached between the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.