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Tag: Aminu Tambuwal

  • House declares day of mourning for slain Yobe pupils

    House declares day of mourning for slain Yobe pupils

    House of Representatives members rose yesterday in unison to declare that the government (not executive alone) has run out of excuses reining in the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

    The lawmakers noted that the most affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa were under state of emergency , yet the killings have not abated, despite efforts made to strengthen military and intelligence apparatus deployed there.

    The lawmakers agreed that the recent killings made it imperative for the government to come up with fresh ideas to tackle the problem.

    Among others, they suggested a need to look in the direction of community policing and neighborhood watch, in addition to strengthening intelligence gathering capabilities of security agencies.

    The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a speech by Speaker Aminu Tambuwal at a special session on the killings.

    The Speaker, while welcoming his colleagues from the short budget consideration break, expressed sadness that a day of mourning had to be observed as a result of the pains the sect had been inflicting on Nigerians.

    He opened the plenary with his speech titled, “One massacre too many” but while throwing open the debate to his colleagues for contributions on the way forward, other lawmakers could not add to what the Speaker had said.

    The speech was adopted as a resolution of the House by the entire floor and a day of mourning was observed with the suspension of plenary for the day.

    Tambuwal said it was to remember the innocent children and other victims of violence that the House declared yesterday “a day of mourning to express our collective outrage on these killings that have gone on for far too long”.

    He said: “Our reunion at times like this has always been one of joy for accomplishment of a civic responsibility. However on this day, it is with the greatest sense of anguish that I welcome you back.

    “On February 25, 2014, the very day the House adjourned plenary, Nigeria suffered a horrendous terrorist attack that struck a fatal blow at the heart and soul of the Nigerian nation and desecrated values that decent peoples of all nations hold dear. On that night, about 59 students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State were killed in the most heinous manner.

    “Some of our future national leaders were mowed down in gruesome circumstances in their sleep. Some were shot dead while many were burnt beyond recognition. That day was a day that will live in infamy in the history of this nation.

    “When innocent, harmless and defenceless women and children become the targets of these heartless murderous bandits; when the lives of sleeping children are so callously snuffed out, it becomes clear that these agents of terror have murdered sleep and they henceforth deserve none.”

    Besides, Tambuwal noted that whatever grievances the terrorists harbour against the government, Nigeria’s innocent children have nothing to do with them. Nigeria’s children bear no responsibility for either policy making or policy implementation, he said.

    “It is, therefore an act of cowardice worthy of ringing condemnation to target the children, to strike at those who are not only innocent but are also unable to strike back or defend themselves.

    “There can be no reason, no justification and no acceptable excuse for this act of mindless brutality. Whatever message the terrorists set out to send to the Nigerian government has been drowned out by the cries for justice by the blood of these innocent martyrs,” he added.

    In the emotion-laden speech, Tambuwal empathised with the families of the victims, urging his colleagues to, please travel with him on an imaginary journey to the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi to drive home the effect of the massacre.

    He said: “Picture the scene as the terrorists creep into the hostels and the children begin to wake up one after the other, with their eyes heavy with sleep, each of them convinced that this is some nightmare.

    “Picture the chaos in the rooms and the terror on the faces of the children as they watch the murderers attack the first set of pupils, the ones nearest to the entrance, and the pupils begin to realise that what is happening is not a nightmare but a reality far harsher than any nightmare the mind of a child can construct.

    “Hear the panic in the voices of the children as they begin to scream for help, from God, their parents or security. But no help will come tonight.

    “Feel the unbearable horror of this night, and hear the fading cries of these children as they finally succumb to the murderous onslaught.

    “Finally, my dear colleagues, imagine that it is your own child in the hostels at Buni Yadi on this hellish night.

    “I can still hear the voice of the father of Aliyu Yola, one of the victims of the school massacre, crying, ‘Aliyu was scared to go back to school after the last holiday. I forced him to resume, not knowing he will never come back to me again.”

    “As Jodi Picoult writes in her book: ‘My Sister’s Keeper’, ‘In the English language, there are orphans and widows, but there is no word for the parent who loses a child”.

    Though, he said it was not a day to apportion blames, Tambuwal said: “We have run out of excuses. We no longer have any excuse for our inability to protect our innocent defenceless children from gratuitous violence.”

    He recalled that in recent times, it seems the nation wakes up every morning to the sad news of one gory tale of bloodletting and killing of innocent Nigerians or another.

    “In the Northeast states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe; in the North Central States of Benue and Plateau; and in other parts of Nigeria.

    “We wake up to the disturbing news of daring and dastardly attacks on our military establishments, resulting in the dissipation of our military infrastructure and the destruction of the lives of the heroic Nigerians who have committed their lives to the defence of our territorial integrity.

    “In Maiduguri, for instance, expensive military aircraft and equipment and whole military barracks have been lost in addition to the loss of men and women of our military and other law enforcement agencies.

    “We wake up to the chilling news of the total annihilation of innocent, law abiding families and entire communities in the most callous, reprehensible and bizarre fashion. This cannot continue. We must rise up collectively and decisively to stop these orgy of deaths, destruction and waste.

    “Section 14 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that the security and welfare of our people is the primary purpose of government. In making this provision, the Constitution places a duty on all of us here and everyone else entrusted with the mandate of governance and representation to place a high premium on the security of lives and property of Nigerians.

    “By this parameter, the Nigerian government must rise to the occasion. And by government I do not mean only the Executive. We in the Legislature are also part of government. And we cannot, therefore, merely join in the chorus of lamentations. Our duty is to act swiftly and decisively in the protection of the citizenry.

    “In the past, this House had initiated and supported all measures needed to combat terrorism in the Country. Since active terrorism started manifesting itself, the House has taken the following steps:

    “We have passed over 20 resolutions on the issue of national security. We amended the Anti-terrorism Act, 2011 to strengthen the security agencies. We have appropriated huge sums of money for the security agencies.

    “Only recently, January 30, 2014 the House in making its recommendations for Constitutional Amendment voted to include the National Security Agencies and the Nigerian Police on the First Line charge for purpose of ensuring their financial independence and timely release of funds when appropriated.

    “While we await the completion of the Constitutional amendment process in which we have thus sought to remove the funding bottleneck that impedes the operational effectiveness of our security institutions, we must in the interim adopt definite measures to ensure that the security agencies have all the support they need to put an end to this long-running orgy of bloodbath so that Nigerians can sleep with both eyes closed. That is the most basic service citizens expect from their government.

    “Let us not forget that we have in place a State of Emergency in the three affected Northeast states, yet the killings have continued unabated in spite of the gallant efforts of our security forces. It is therefore clear that we need to come up with other ideas for a solution. There are certain questions that this House must now ask.

    “How do we ensure that the welfare of our military is effectively administered and that they have the appropriate equipment to execute their hazardous assignment? The sad events of recent weeks have once again made Nigerians ask whether moneys appropriated for the welfare of our security forces are properly administered.

    “How do we strengthen the intelligence gathering capabilities of our intelligence agencies?

    “How do we encourage the Nigerian Police Force to institutionalize Community Policing as a framework for engaging local Communities in a partnership for checking crime and terrorism?

    “What about integrating local security structures into the regular security windows of the Nigerian Police Force with the Federal, State and Local governments supporting them with necessary resources? Is it perhaps time for us to revisit the idea of State Police?

    “How do we develop an institutional framework for securing the land through a neighborhood audit where a tab is kept on every member and every housing structure whether completed or uncompleted?

    “A fully engaged and strongly organised local population would not allow terrorism in their community or across their territory. Nigerian citizens must, therefore, be mobilized to take back their communities. Intelligence gathering will improve tremendously if security structures at the local levels are tapped effectively by the police.

    “How do we institute a form of ‘Marshall Plan’ to effectively address the economic circumstances of the affected regions? Such a measure will serve to check youth restiveness, unemployment and mass poverty. The private sector also has a huge role to play in this.

    “What about our traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders? Does the government now need to intensify engagement with these elders to take advantage of their unique position, wisdom and influence?

    “These few suggestions are only intended to serve as stimuli for further discourse. I challenge my colleagues and other Nigerians to come forward with other ideas and solutions on how we can as a nation address this situation.

    “The involvement of the citizenry in the fight against terrorism is a vital issue. For the campaign against terrorism to succeed the people must get involved.

    “A crisis of this magnitude is beyond the capacity of any government to resolve on its own without the support of the people. Whenever the stability and survival of a nation is threatened, the most potent weapon in repelling the threat is the active engagement of the people of that nation.

    “I humbly appeal to the Nigerian people to join in this struggle for the soul of our nation and embrace as a sacred duty the mission of restoring peace and stability in Nigeria. We must draw from the heartbreak of Buni Yadi, and other areas affected by mindless violence, an inspiration to rededicate ourselves to the cause of nation building.

    “One hundred years after Nigeria was amalgamated into one country, there are Nigerians who would still prefer to emphasise and celebrate our differentness and blame the British for amalgamating us, rather than embrace the reality of our oneness.

    “At this stage of our journey of nationhood, all Nigerians should be highlighting the ties that bind us. We should be promoting the elements of our common heritage and emphasizing the imperatives of our common destiny.

    “In the light of a heart-wrenching tragedy like this, our people must now see that those political, sectional and sectarian differences that have made it impossible for us to present a united front against our challenges are petty and self-absorbed.

    “If a tragedy of the Buni Yadi magnitude does not bring us together as one nation, if the loss of our innocent children whose only offence was that they went to school to gain education and wisdom in preparation for a future of service to Nigeria and humanity does not unite us in grief, then we need to ask ourselves if we truly meet the basic spiritual requirements of nationhood.

    “We cannot claim to be one nation, if we cannot find unity in grief; just as we cannot claim to be a great nation when we are incapable of preventing horrendous attacks on our children peacefully asleep in their beds.

    “As a people we are known to be our brothers’ keeper. Terror has never been in our character and with God on our side we shall surely defeat this minority tribe of violence. Let us therefore arise with a single-minded resolve that the Buni Yadi massacre is one massacre too many and we shall tolerate no more.

    “Our nation is in mourning, and it is in urgent need of consolation, our nation is in pain, and in urgent need of healing, our nation is puzzled, and in urgent need of answers, our nation is disillusioned, and in urgent need of reassurance.

    “As the elected representatives of the people, it is our duty to offer that consolation, administer that healing, provide those answers and furnish that reassurance that our people need to make them continue to believe in the Nigerian nation,” he said.

     

  • Tambuwal hails Amosun on infrastructure

    Tambuwal hails Amosun on infrastructure

    House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has described the infrastructural programmes of the Ogun State government as “a display of the politics of development”.

    Tambuwal spoke at the weekend during his visit to Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    He said the Governor Ibikunle Amosun administration had redefined the landscape with its infrastructural projects.

    Tambuwa said: “I could not help asking myself where the governor got money from for these laudable road projects. This is my first official visit to Abeokuta and I am impressed by what I have seen.

    “Sometimes last year, I was in Ijebu-Ode and I saw what the governor was doing there too. Now that I have seen what he is doing here in Abeokuta, I commend him and his team for the wonderful work they are doing.”

    Hailing the people for supporting the government, he said: “This means they have adopted the projects as theirs and are convinced that they are for their own good. Once we finish elections, there is no more party or partisan politics. There can never be better politics than the politics of development and this is what we have seen in Ogun State.”

  • Why court must stop Mark, Tambuwal, by 79 defectors

    Why court must stop Mark, Tambuwal, by 79 defectors

    Senators, Reps who dumped PDP for APC battle to keep seats

    The 79 legislators, who sued the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and leaders of the National Assembly over threats to declare their seats vacant, justified their decision to defect from the party yesterday.

    The lawmakers – 22 PDP Senators and 57 members of the House of Representatives, including those who have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) – argued that Senate President David Mark and House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal could not declare their seats vacant.

    They contended before the Federal High Court, Abuja that Mark and Tambuwal cannot rely on the provisions of sections 68(1)(g) and 68(2) of the Constitution in declaring their seats vacant because there is division in the PDP and a faction of the party has merged with other parties.

    They argued that the two conditions precedent for lawful defection, as provided in the Constitution – division and merger – had occurred to warrant their defection.

    The planitiffs’ lawyer, Mahmoud Magaji (SAN), argued that – as against the contention by the PDP, its former Chairman Bamanga Tukur and Mark – the power to decide whether a defecting lawmaker’s seat is vacant or not, where his party is factionalised, is the court’s.

    Magaji, who adopted his final submissions in the case, argued that his clients were justified in abandoning the PDP and that the National Assembly’s leadership cannot, by virtue of their defection, declare their seats vacant.

    His argument was in reaction to arguments by Joe Gadzama (SAN) and Ken Ikonne (lawyers to the PDP, Tukur and Mark) to the effect that the plaintiffs’ seats automatically become vacant upon their defection, by virtue of the provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.

    They argued in their counter affidavit that the suit was misconceived as the plaintiffs were under the wrong impression that it requires Mark’s and Tambuwal’s pronouncement for the seats of defecting law makers to be declared vacant.

    Both lawyers argued that there was never a division in the PDP to justify the plaintiffs’ defection and qualify them for exemption as provided under Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.

    The section deals with instances when seats can be deemed vacant. Section 68(2) deals with the powers of the Senate President and Speaker to declare seats vacant.

    Gadzama, who tendered two judgments from earlier cases involving the Tukur-led faction and the Abubakar Baraje-led faction of the party, argued that the PDP was never divided.

    Ikonne argued that the plaintiffs failed to prove that the party was actually divided to the point of being turn apart. He also argued that the plaintiffs misconceived the nature of the powers vested in the Senate President under Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.

    Ikonne said his position was informed by his understanding that the provision of Section 68(1)(g) is not only mandatory; it is self-executing.

    “This is because the vacancy happens by virtue of the operation of the law,” he said.

    Gadzama and Ikonne, who had in their preliminary objections queried the competence of the suit and urged the court to strike it out, urged the court to dismiss the suit, should it resolve the objection in favour of the plantiffs.

    Replying, Magaji argued that the existence of the suits, whose judgments Gadzama tendered, was a confirmation that the party was polarised. He argued that what the Tukur-led PDP sought in one of the cases was that members of its Executive Council be declared the authentic leaders of the party.

    Magaji contended that there was nowhere in the suit decided by Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, where anyone denied division in the party. He drew the judge’s attention to a portion of Justice Chukwu’s decision (pages 72 to 75), which he said supported his position.

    Magaji argued that it is only the court that can decide when a seat is vacant where a member defects to another party when there is a division in his old party.

    He urged the court to disregard the defendants’ objection to the suit and grant his clients’ prayers and reliefs.

    Tambuwal, represented by Alex Marama, challenged the suit’s competence and urged the court to dismiss it. He argued that the suit amounted to an abuse of court’s process because it was wrongly filed.

    Tambuwal argued that the suit ought to he initiated by way of writ of summons as against originating summons filed, because issues raised required the calling of oral evidence to resolve.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), represented by Al-Hassan Umar, chose to be neutral in the proceedings. It filed neither an objection nor a counter affidavit in the suit. It argued that the dispute was a PDP affair.

    Justice Ahmed Mohammed refused Magaji’s request that the court should sanction Senator Ita Enang, who he said urged Mark to declare the seats of some of the plaintiffs vacant, despite a subsisting interim order of the court directing parties to maintain status quo.

    Justice Mohammed, in rejecting Magaji’s prayer, held that the court’s rules made sufficient provision for how issues relating to disobedience to court’s orders should be handled.

    He held that since there was no formal application for an order against Enang, Magaji failed to provide evidence against the senator, “the court is not in a position to sanction the said Senator“.

    Justice Mohammed has fixed judgment for March 26.

    Defendants in the suit include Tukur, Mark, Tambuwal, the PDP and INEC.

    The plaintiffs are, in the originating summons, seeking a declaration that:

    •the circumstance prevailing at the national level and various state chapters of the PDP (4th defendant), which led to factions/ divisions as witnessed at the Special National Convention of the 4th defendant held on 31st August 2013 and holding of a parallel convention simultaeneously at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, followed up with the emergence of new National Executive Committee constitute and qualify as crisis, faction and division anticipated under section 68 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended;

    •any of the plaintiffs or other members of the PDP who pursuant to the crisis that led to factions/divisions in the 4th defendant, joined new faction of the 4th defendant or desires to join it or another political party (individually or as a group) is/are saved by the proviso to section 68(1) (g) of the Constitution, as amended without losing his/their elective seats; and a declaration that:

    •in view of the proviso to Section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution as amended, the 1st defendant or any other officer of the 4th defendant or any person or authority whatsoever cannot declare vacant the seats of any of the plaintiffs or other members of the 4th defendant that joined or who may desire to become members of another political party, in view of the present crisis that created factions/divisions in the 4th defendant.

    The plaintiffs are pleading for an order “restraining the 2nd and 3rd defendants from conducting any proceedings in their respective chambers aimed at declaring the seat (s) of any the plaintiffs or other members of the 4th defendant who joined or intended to become members of another political party vacant” in view of the present circumstance in the 4th defendant as vacant.

     

  • Let’s battle Boko Haram now, says Gowon

    Let’s battle Boko Haram now, says Gowon

    The Boko Haram insurgency took the centre stage in the polity yesterday.

    It dominated discussions at the inauguration of the new leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna.

    The inauguration of the Ibrahim Coomasie-led ACF leadership attracted the North’s political leaders, including Vice President Namadi Sambo.

    Also there were former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, governors and others.

    Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon called for serious action against the insurgency.

    In Abuja, the House of Representatives passed a resolution that the Army Headquarters should move to Maiduguri, the beleagued capital of Borno State – the epicentre of the Boko Haram activities.

    The Presidency slammed Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima for declaring on Monday that the Army lacks the capacity to combat the sect’s members.

    Gen. Gowon expressed concern about the growing hype of ethnic nationalism and ethno-religious activism.

    Gowon spoke as Vice President Sambo said the nation would need about 2.9 trillion dollars to address its infrastructural needs within the next 30 years.

    The former Head of State said there was the need for all Nigerians “to come together and unleash their synergy against the security challenges and other national malaise, be it Boko Haram, ethno-religious crisis, kidnapping, militant activism, armed robbery or piracy or any other such act that disrupt the peace and harmony and threatens the economic and social development of the country.

    “We believe the situation is not beyond redemption and so, should not be allowed to set a national agenda of reconsideration of our unity and nationhood.

    “Freedom brought about by democracy… is expected to thrive on a tripod of: foundation of liberty, justice and common decency. That is why it is said that democracy is rather a contest of ideas and reasons and not contest for survival where politicians take it out violently among themselves in the name of democracy. Only Liberty, justice and common decency are true elements of democracy,” he said.

    Gen. Gowon urged politicians not to resort to violence in the name of freedom that comes with democracy. You will agree with me in saying that although Nigeria may be going through hard times, political, economic and social, we have a resilience to tackle it successfully.

    “The different times should spur national grandeur, bring about good leadership and the best in every one of us, instead of the current hype in ethnic nationalism and religious bigotry that seek to promote cleavages that is self destructive. It is very important to note that no nation thrive on the victory of factions, but through ultimate reconciliation”.

    He frowned at the emergence of different elders’ groups in the north, noting that the ACF was built on the promise of an unwavering commitment to the pursuit of peaceful coexistence in the north and in the context of one united Nigeria.

    He said “I am compelled to mention this because the ACF emerged through the coming together of northern elders for the expressed purpose of promoting peaceful coexistence in the north as precondition for socio-economic development of the north and that of Nigeria.

    “We do not share in the reason being advanced in favour of proliferation of elders groups that ACF is not politically active. It is important to note that while ACF may not be politically partisan for obvious reasons, many of the forum’s members belong to different political parties.

    Sambo said the nation needs an average infrastructure spending of 25 billion dollars between 2014 and 2018 as against the current spending of 9-10 billion dollars.

    The leadership of the ACF is made up of the following:

    Board of Trustees

    Chairman-Adamu Fika, Deputy Chairman- AVM Muhktar Mohammed (rtd), Vice Chairman-Prof. Para Mallum

    National Working Committee:

    Ibrahim Ahmadu Coomassie-Chairman, Musa Liman Kwande-Deputy Chairman, Senator Abubaklar Girei-Vice Chairman, Col. John Paul Uba-Secretary General, Barrister Halima Alfa- National Legal Adviser, Abubakar Husaini Moriki-National Treasurer, Muhammed Ibrahim Biu-National Publicity Secretary, Ahmad Bawa-National Financial Secretary, Baba Sule Bissala National Auditor, Abubakar Gambo Umar-Deputy Secretary General, Hajia Fatima Kwaku-Deputy National Legal Adviser, Murtala Usman Aliyu- Deputy National Treasurer, Hajia Amina Ladan Baki- Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Hajia Laraba Dattijo Deputy National Financial Secretary, Mohammed Hassan Fawu-National Deputy Auditor, Mohammed Tanko Soba- Assistant Secretary General, Bashir Albasu-Assistant National Legal Adviser, Sale Gacha Bade-Assistant National Treasurer, Adebayo Abubakar-Assistant National Publicity Secretary, Ado Datti Assistant National Financial Secretary and Navy Capt Hamidu Usman Jefeji.

     

  • Tambuwal: kerosene scarcity embarrassing

    Tambuwal: kerosene scarcity embarrassing

    House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, who was represented by his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, yesterday delivered a speech at the opening of an investigative hearing on kerosene subsidy, decrying mystery surrounding the subsidy on the product. Excerpts:

    It is my pleasure to join the Chairman and members of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to welcome you all to this all important national assignment being undertaken by the National Assembly on behalf of all Nigerians.

    You will recall that on 27th November, 2013, the House of Representatives in the discharge of its statutory mandate unanimously resolved to carry out full investigation on the expenditure, supply, distribution and subsidy on kerosene. The House mandated its Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to carry out this extensive investigation on her behalf for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    Kerosene has become the most topical issue in Nigeria today for several reasons. First, it has been empirically proven that at least 30 per cent of households depend on kerosene as source of domestic fuel. About 56 per cent of our population still depend on firewood due to lack of access to kerosene. The implication is that about 80 per cent of our population will most likely depend on kerosene as source of domestic fuel. Whatever affects 80 per cent of the population affects the entire country. As representatives of the people we have an obligation to ensure that our people are not made to pass through avoidable hardship.

    Secondly, today almost all our citizens will agree that it is easier to have access to gas and PMS than kerosene. The scarcity of kerosene has become a national embarrassment. It is so serious that the 7th House of Representatives in its first legislative year invited the Minister of Petroleum Resources to explain to the public through the instrumentality of the House at plenary. Since that time not much has improved on the supply and distribution of kerosene.

    Third, worse still when kerosene is available it is sold at such an exorbitant rate that Nigerians pay with their blood to get a little of kerosene. This obviously is not acceptable and cannot be in the best interest of our people.

    Fourth, the country has spent at least one trillion over the past four years to subsidize kerosene yet the product is neither available nor is it sold at the official NNPC pump price whenever it is found and wherever.

    Fifth, nobody can say what our kerosene consumption volume is per annum. Kerosene consumption volume cannot under any arrangement be a national secret. Transparency and accountability are things we should take for granted in 21st Century democratic Nigeria.

    Sixth, the masses, which is the justification for subsidy on kerosene, are in no way benefiting from the “subsidy”on kerosene thus NNPC needs to explain to the Nigerian people how it spent part of the $8.9bn, or $10.8bn or $20bn CBN accused her of not remitting to the Federation Account which NNPC claimed was spent on kerosene subsidy.

    Seventh, since there are no budgetary provision for subsidy on kerosene, the people of Nigeria will obviously be interested in knowing the source of funding of kerosene subsidy and on whose authority.

    These and several other issues warranted a full scale investigation to unravel issues surrounding kerosene subsidy so all Nigerians will be satisfied that kerosene subsidy is actually serving the interest of the masses. Because kerosene affects 80% of households in Nigeria, this is obviously a most strategic national inquiry.

    It is our fervent believe that the findings of this investigation will assist us as a nation better manage our resources, block leakages if any and ensure that all our people have access to kerosene at a competitive price.

    Most importantly the outcome of this investigation is expected to boost confidence of the people on the management of our economy and protect the people of Nigeria from unavoidable losses. Let me reiterate that this is a constitutional duty and not a witch haunting exercise. In the short life span of this 7th House of Representatives, we have made accountability and transparency our watchword as demonstrated in earlier investigative hearings conducted by the House.

    I urge all of you stakeholders; Ministers, Policy Makers, Government Officials, NNPC, Marketers, Retailers to give the National Assembly maximum co-operation for the interest of all Nigerians that we are serving. I charge the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to be guided by truth and fairness, and not uninformed public sentiment as history is watching all of us.

     

  • National Assembly yet to receive Oronsanye report, says Tambuwal

    National Assembly yet to receive Oronsanye report, says Tambuwal

    The National Assembly is yet to receive the Steve Oransanye report on the restructuring and rationalisation of Federal Government parastatals, House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has said.

    Tambuwal, who spoke during the debate of the general principles of the 2014 Appropriation Bill, said the draft white paper of the report was neither sent nor received by the National Assembly.

    The Speaker made the pronouncement while responding to the argument of a member, Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers), who called for the reduction of the public service wage bill through the scrapping of some agencies.

    According to Apiafi, there was need for the National Assembly to repeal the laws establishing some of the agencies to reduce the recurrent budget component of the 2014 budget.

    Her words: “Choices need to be made to reduce in general, the ever-growing civil service wage bill. In 2013, the Oronsanye report was submitted. This report streamlined redundant agencies. The laws affecting these agencies need to be repealed to conclude their rationalisation.”

    However, Tambuwal said the National Assembly is yet to see the report.

    Said he: “The National Assembly is yet to see anything on the Oronsanye report. It is still within the precincts of the executive and there is nothing we can do for now about that.”

    To reduce the duplication of agencies and parastatals, the Steve Oronsanye- headed committee, which was set up in late 2011, recommended that 220 of the 541 parastatals, commissions and agencies be scrapped, while 321 be retained, as part of measures to reduce the rising cost of governance.

    Its list of Federal Government parastatals, commissions and agencies to be scrapped included the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Utilities Charges Commission (UCC), Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) and National Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

    The report also recommended the merger of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) with the Human Rights Commission; merger of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC).

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • House shoots down debate on budget

    House shoots down debate on budget

    • Scales second reading in Senate

    THE House of Representatives has shot down debate on the N4.64 trillion budget till next week, following arguments between members.

    The Chairman and deputies of three Committees of the House, Rules and Business, Justice and Judiciary, were yesterday mandated to look into the legality of the issues raised and report to the House within 24 hours.

    The Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal stood down the consideration of the budget after tense debates from two opposing camps of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) members at plenary.

    But another disclosure from the Speaker that both the House and the Senate have agreed to postpone plenary till next week to allow APC members register, further dimed the chance of the budget being considered till next week.

    It would be the second time the debate on the N4.6 trillion budget is being put off. Last week, it was postponed to give way for the voting on the constitution amendment.

    Trouble started when Emmanuel Jimeh (APC, Benue) immediately raised a point of constitutional order after the 2014 Appropriation Bill was mentioned for second reading.

    Jimeh said the presentation of the 2014 budget was in breach of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.

    According to him, the budget was meant to have been accompanied with the details of the estimates of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Ports Authority and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC ) and other revenue generating corporations and agencies of the Federal Government.

    Section 21 of the the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 lists the CBN, NNPC, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Federal Inland Revenue Service ( FIRS), National Communication Commission (NCC), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), National Agency for Food & Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC) and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) as part of corporations, agencies and government owned companies whose details must accompany the budget to the National Assembly.

    Others include the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and National Maritime Authority (now NIMASA), among others.

    Jimeh further said what Sub-section 3 of the FRA demands is that details of the budget of the listed corporations, agencies and companies accompany the budget to the National Assembly.

    “What I have and what other members are holding is a purported summary. The law requires that the estimates of these corporations and agencies be attached to the budget. The Minister has no right to give us her own summary. I want to ask what is the danger of not giving us the estimate?

    The lawmaker said if the National Assembly had put its foot down previously on the submission of the details, the incidence of the missing $10.8 billion from the coffers of the NNPC would not have occurred.

    He cited Section 11 (1,2,3) of the Act that stipulates that estimates must accompany the budget.

    “What accompanied the purported budget was a summary rather than the estimates. For instance. If the estimates of the NNPC has been submitted with the 2013 budget proposal, the House would have known where the missing $10billion is.

    “The House should not allow them reach the laws it passed and should not encourage the Executive to continue to engage in breaching the law.This particular budget has breached our law. This parliament must not encourage the President to continue to breach our law. We must not allow ourselves to do the wrong thing for the convenience of the moment. History will not judge the House well for sitting back when the law is breached.”

    But the Chairman of the House Committee in Appropriation, John Enoh ( PDP Cross Rivers) disagreed with the submission of Jimeh when Tambuwal called him to explain the issue.

    “I disagree that the estimates are in the breach.The struggle to get the Executive to comply has been long. Year in, year out, the National Assembly kept insisting. In the past two to three years, the Executive has been in full compliance.

    “The question is: are the estimates abridged or not? My colleague (Jimeh) says it is abridged, but he agrees that estimates accompanied them.

    “It becomes a different thing altogether what the National Assembly decides to do with the estimates. In the 2013 budget, it came the way the 2014 came. There is no time that in the course of passing the budget, that we said we can’t pass it because of the budgets of CBN, NPA, NNPC.”

    At this point members in support of Jimeh’s position shouted “No! No! No!”

    But Enoh ended his argument, saying that the budget of any country, particularly Nigeria, is the most important document before the parliament. “There is none that is as significant and as important as the budget,” he said.

    At this point, Tambuwal ruled, saying what Jimeh said is a valid. He said it was because of the sensitivity of the budget that he called Enoh to explain the issue.

    He appointed the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Abert Sam-Tsokwa and his Deputy, Sunday Adepoju, the Chairman, Committee on Judiciary, Aminu Shehu Shagari and his deputy, Ken Chikere, and Chairman Committee on Justice, Ali Ahmed and his deputy, Emeka Nwaogbo to examine the issues and report to the House within 24 hours.

    Meanwhile, the budget has scaled second reading in the Senate.

    The Bill has generated a lot of controversy since the Senate started its debate on January 28.

    Lawmakers, who made contributions during the final debate, included Senators Gbenga Kaka, Helen Esuene, Matthew Nwagu, Christopher Nwankwo, Joshua Lidani, Emmanuel Bwacha and Emmanuel Paulker.

    Others are Senators Zainab Kure, Nkechi Nwogu, Olubunmi Adetumbi, Andy Uba, Aloysius Etok, Babafemi Ojudu and Ehigie Uzamere, among others.

    A total of 61 Senators have so far contributed to the debate on the budget.

    Senator Adetunmbi said the greatest risk with the budget is not on the expenditure, but the borrowing to finance it on the revenue side. He lamented that it had become a recurring decimal for the Federal Government to borrow to finance annual budgets.

     

     

    He blamed oil theft and pipeline vandalism for the shortfall of revenue being experienced by the Federal Government, condemning a situation where about N3.7 billion is appropriated for the Presidential Fleet which, he said, was more than what is budgeted for the Nigerian Air Force.

    “The Senate will have itself to blame and nobody else, if we fail to look at areas of wastage in the budget and reallocate the money to areas where they will be useful,” Adetunmbi said.

    He lamented that the 2014 budget was at variance with Section 18 (2) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which stipulates that the annual budget must be in tandem with the approved Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

    Senator Paulker said the Federal Government should be commended for targeting five million farmers in the budget, adding that when empowered, they will have a multiplier effect on creating the much-needed jobs in the agricultural sector.

    “This budget is targeted at consolidating on the good works this administration has done,” Paulker said.

    Senator Uzamere, while supporting the passage of the budget, frowned at the increasing local and foreign debt profile of the country. He called for adequate measures to be put in place to check the unacceptable trend.

    Senator Nwankwo supported the passage of the budget, saying the amount appropriated for the agricultural sectors was meagre compared with its potential to provide gainful employment for Nigerians.

    While Senator Etok called for more appropriation for payment of pensioners, Senator Uba sought more budgetary allocation to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enable it conduct a hitch-free election in 2015.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, asked the Committees on Finance and Appropriation to begin work on the document immediately.

    He also asked the committees to liaise with their counterparts in the House of Representatives for areas that may need harmonisation if necessary.

    He noted that during the debate, most of the arguments centred on bloated figures, waste neglect of some

     

     

  • Tambuwal, Ihedioha reject PDP in battle for House

    Tambuwal, Ihedioha reject PDP in battle for House

    Reps’ leaders urge court to dismiss suit to stop leadership change

    The legal battle over the House of Representatives leadership took a new turn yesterday.

    Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, other principal officers and members, who defected to the All Progressives Party (APC), objected to the suit by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), seeking to prevent leadership change in the House.

    Tambuwal and 52 others, named as defendants, queried the jurisdictional powers of a Federal High Court in Abuja to hear the suit, which primarily seeks to restrain the defendants from effecting any changes in the composition of the House’s leadership.

    To Tambuwal and others, the PDP lacks the locus standi to institute the suit, which, in their view, is an abuse of court process. Besides, to them, it is also not justiceable as it touches on the internal affairs of the House, over which the court lacks jurisdiction.

    It is also their contention that the case amounts to an academic or hypothetical exercise.

    The above formed the core of submissions by the defence team, who argued the objection at the resumed hearing of the case yesterday before Justice Adeniyi Ademola.

    The team, which includes Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), Mahmud Magaji (SAN), Sebastine Hon (SAN), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) and Eric Apia prayed the court to either dismiss or strike out the suit.

    Magaji (for House of Reps, Tambuwal and Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha) argued that the suit amounted to an abuse of court process because it was predicated on a similar suit pending before another judge of the same court.

    He argued that the PDP lacked the locus standi to institute the suit because it is not a member of the House of Representatives and could not interfere in the internal businesses of the House.

    Magaji urged the court to dismiss the suit.

    Akintola said the defendants were challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case in view of the provisions of Sections 23 and 30 of the Legislative House’s Powers and Privileges Act, Cap L12 Laws of Nigeria 2004.

    He argued that by virtue of those provisions, all courts are barred from enquiring into how principal officers of a legislative house exercise their powers.

    Akintola argued that the exercise of such powers could only be questioned if they are exercised in breach of constitutional provisions. He contended that it was unlawful for the PDP to seek to preemptively restrain the principal officers of the House, and other defendants in the suit from exercising their constitutional powers.

    He also noted the similarity in the suit and the earlier one before Justice Mohammed. He argued that both cases were seeking primarily, the interpretation of Section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution.

    Akintola argued that the reliefs sought in both cases were intertwined and urged the court to strike the suit out on grounds of abuse of court process.

    Hon queried the plaintiff’s right to sue on behalf of members of the APC, who are also principal members of the House.

    He argued that even where the PDP could sue to protect the position of its members in the House, it cannot act in a similar manner in relation to other principal members who belong to APC, without their consent.

    Relying on the provision of Section 50(1)(b) of the Constitution, Hon queried the PDP’s right to bother itself about how members of the House organise themselves when it is not a member.

    “In this case, PDP is an interloper and a busybody. Section 50(1)(b) of the Constitution has created a vested interest that belongs to a certain class of people, who are members of the House. PDP, not being a member of the House, has no standing to institute this action,” Hon said.

    Relying on Section 60 of the Constitution, Hon argued that the House has the powers to regulate its procedures. He added that by virtue of the provision of section 60 of the Constitution, the “PDP lacks the powers to dabble in the internal affairs of the House”.

    Owonikoko argued that the case was an abuse of the process because it was predicated on the existing case before Justice Mohammed.

    He urged the court to dismiss it.

    Justice Ademola adjourned till February 14 for the plaintiff to respond and argue its originating summons.

    The PDP, in its originating summons, urged the court to determine whether, in view of the mandatory provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, and in view of the pendency of an earlier suit by the defecting lawmakers, they (the defecting legislators) can participate in any proceedings to remove the House’ principal officers.

    The party would like the court to determine whether, in view of the provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution and the pending suit by the defecting legislators, they (the defecting lawmakers) can lawfully alter the composition or constitution of the House’s leadership.

    It is praying the court to declare that in view of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution and the pending case marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/621/2013 the defecting lawmakers “cannot lawfully vote and contribute to any motion for the removal or change of any of the principal officers” of the House.

    PDP also urged the court to declare that the defecting lawmakers, who are plaintiffs in the earlier suit before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the same court, “are not competent to sponsor, contribute or vote on any motion calling for the removal or change in the leadership of the House or the removal of any principal officers of the House”.

    It prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from “altering or changing the House’s leadership.

    The PDP filed an application for interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from altering the leadership of the House, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

     

  • House ‘ll stop massive fraud in govt, says Speaker

    House ‘ll stop massive fraud in govt, says Speaker

    House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has lashed out at government agencies, saying they are inefficient and ineffective. They are responsible for billions of Naira being stolen from government over the years, he said.

    According to him, the era of financial impunity is about to end, with the establishment of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency that would be backed by foolproof legislations.

    There were allegations of a missing $49b (later reduced to $10b) from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The Police Pension Commission was also enmeshed in stolen N23b among several fund mismanagement cases,

    Speaking at the public hearing by the House Committee on Drugs, Narcotic and Financial Crimes on the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Agency Bill yesterday, Tambuwal said the bill “will no doubt help in rectifying the deficiencies in our financial system, especially the sheer number of loopholes that make it possible for people to perpetrate massive fraud and go unpunished”.

    He said: “The House of Representatives is, therefore, fully in support of the effort to evolve an efficient and effective management, administration and operation of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency for the purpose of generating and analysing Financial Intelligence.

    “The Bill equally seeks to institutionalise the application of best practices in Financial Intelligence Management in Nigeria. We have all seen the consequences of the reckless and cavalier manner that public officials and civil servants manage public funds.

    “Today, billions of naira go missing in this country every year as a result of mismanagement and outright theft of money belonging to the commonwealth.

    “We believe that this level of financial impunity is possible because of dubious accounting procedures and the lack of a specialised agency that is able to get facts and details of these intricate web of corrupt practices and ensure that the perpetrators are successfully prosecuted.

    “We want to move our nation from the prevailing system whereby only a select few is privy to the complex way that money gets moved around in this country and so they could hide under the shadows and perpetrate all kinds of scam.”

    The EFCC was absent from the public hearing. The anti-graft agency, via a letter to the Adams Jagaba-headed committee, asked that the event be shifted to a more convenient date for it to attend.

    Jagaba, in his opening speech, said the bill “seeks to provide legislation for an institution responsible for generating and dispersing information on money laundering, terrorism financing and other financial crimes.

    “The bill, which is an Executive and Private member bill, is aimed at establishing an autonomous national agency that will be responsible for the receipt of information from financial institutions and designated financial bodies for analyzing and documenting such information for the purpose of converting this information into financial intelligence that could be transmitted to the relevant law enforcement agencies, such as, EFCC, ICPC, DSS, ONSA, DMI, NPF, NSCDC, NIS, NCS, NAPTIP and DIA, for the purpose of apprehending crimes within and outside the country.

    The bill received support from all the agencies and civil society organisations at the hearing. At the hearing were International Association of Criminal Justice Practitioners, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Zero Corruption Network, Public Awareness Network, Media Initiative Against injustice, Educational Watch Centre and Change Movement Nigeria, and Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights, amongst others.

    The CCIDSR described the bill as “another opportunity to defeat terrorism and corruption in Nigeria”.

    Educational Watch Centre said the NFIA Bill would show, for once, that Nigeria is willing to correct the flaw in its anti-corruption crusade.

    According to the organisation, Nigeria has operational and institutional deficiencies, such as “deficient Anti-Money Laundering Act; weak Terrorism Act; Absence of Mutual Legal Assistance Act; absence of Proceed of Crime/Asset Recovery and Management Body and absence of Whistle Blowers Protection Act”.

    It said the NFIA Bill would give the country a new image before the international community.

     

  • PDP chair Mu’azu can reunite party, says Tambuwal

    PDP chair Mu’azu can reunite party, says Tambuwal

    House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu will resolve the crisis rocking the party and reunite its dissenting members.

    Tambuwal spoke after inaugurating an empowerment programme by the member representing Biase/Akamkpa in Cross River State, Daniel Effiong Asuquo.

    He said: “I am sure the new chairman has the capacity to stabilise everything going wrong in the party.

    “Despite the crisis rocking PDP, I remain a staunch member of the party. Even with the lawmakers in the House defecting to the opposition party, I still remain resolute.”

    The speaker rued losing five governors of the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said: “For a party to lose in five states is challenging. But I am sure the new chairman has the capacity to stabilise PDP.”

    Tambuwal said he had no intention to declare on 2015 until “the time is ripe.”

    He added: “But I have committed all to the Almighty God to guide my footsteps.”

    The speaker hailed Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke for stabilising the party in the state.

    He also praisedAsuquo, deputy chair of the Committee on Interior, for reducing poverty in his constituency.

    Tambuwal urged the electorate to support their representatives, saying they would continue to get effective representation from them.