The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bukola Saraki

  • Saraki, Dogara update Buhari on NASS activities

    Saraki, Dogara update Buhari on NASS activities

    The leadership of the National Assembly, led by Senate President Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the activities of the National Assembly while he was away in London.

    Speaking after the closed door meeting with the president, Saraki, who was accompanied by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, said they were delighted that the president was back in his office.

    According to Saraki, “The president met with us. We were there for over 40 minutes. I was not talking to myself. So, you know he was responding.

    “We were engaging. He engaged us very well. We discussed issues of national interest, we are well happy to see him back, he is back at the office, and he is doing his work.

    “Budget is ongoing. The economy, things that we passed in his absence including the (Chief Justice of the Nigeria) CJN issue; issue to do with the Eurobond.

    “Just general issues that are pending and some other issues like the ambassadorial nominees, stability in the Niger Delta – a lot range of issues we covered in the short period of time,’’ he said.

    On the 2017 budget proposal, Saraki said that it would be passed before the end of March.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on Dec. 14, 2016, Buhari presented a budget of N7.30 trillion for 2017 before a joint session of the National Assembly.

    Also, Dogara pledged that the National Assembly would continue to collaborate with the presidency to achieve the desired goal of uplifting the quality of life of all Nigerians.

    Dogara added, “We expect to cooperate more than we fight in the interest of our people to ensure that there is progress. It is one government, there is no division.

    “If he (President Buhari) fails we all failed.

    “So, it is in realisation of this that we always extend the needed support to ensure that he succeeds so that our government will be rated as a successful one,” he said.

     

  • Saraki reads Buhari’s letter on resumption of duty

    Saraki reads Buhari’s letter on resumption of duty

    The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, read President Muhammadu Buhari’s letter of resumption of duty.

    The president wrote: “in compliance with Section 145 of the Constitution, I write to intimate the senate that I have resumed my functions as President of Nigeria with effect from Monday, March 13, after my vacation.

    “Please accept Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest considerations.”

    Buhari had proceeded on medical vacation to the UK on Jan. 19 and wrote to the Senate that he would take 10 days as part of his annual leave.

    He said that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, would act on his behalf as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The president later wrote asking for an extension of the vacation to enable him to undergo more medical tests.

    The president returned on Friday, March 10 and has since received briefing from the vice-president.

     

  • German parliament pledges support to Nigeria

    Ms Malu Dreyer, Head of Bundestrat, the Upper Chamber of the German Parliament, has pledged Germany’s support to Nigeria in its economic recovery effort.

    Dreyer, who spoke at the weekend while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Senate led by its President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in Berlin said that Nigeria deserved the support of Germany to boost its economic recovery plans.

    A statement by Saraki’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, quoted Dreyer as saying that “Germany will support the on-going economic recovery programme in the country,’’.

    She said that her country would look towards extending the special partnership and grassroots co-operation which it presently had with Rwanda to Nigeria, adding that more exchange programmes between the two countries should be initiated.

    “The partnership between Nigeria and Germany is very important and should be nurtured.

    “This partnership, at a very high level, can help the entire population in Nigeria. We have to do all that is necessary to support Africa to prevent internal crisis that would later plague Europe.

    “We should empower African nations to enable the people and their government take their fate into their own hands. We have a gain to make from this co-operation,’’ she said.

    Dreyer said that Germany would tackle the root cause of refugee situation through helping countries to be stable and economically buoyant.

    On renewable energy, Dreyer said Germany was ready to help Nigeria through exchange of technical information and exchange programmes.

    In his remarks, Saraki reiterated the need for Germany to partner Nigeria in the areas of economic co-operation, security and renewable energy.

    He said that the Senate delegation was in Berlin to strengthen the existing relations between both countries as represented by the visit of the German President to Nigeria last year in company of some German businessmen.

    “We appreciate the cordial relationship between Germany and Nigeria. We need German support as our government works hard through progressive policies and legislation aimed at overcoming our current challenges.

    “It may be true that we have economic challenges but the fundamentals remain good and even the prospects are better.

    “That is why we are seriously working to diversify the economy and move away from the dependence on oil.

    “We are moving into agriculture, mining of numerous mineral resources and manufacturing. These areas alongside energy production and funding of key infrastructural projects are areas that German business people can invest in,’’ he said.

    Saraki said power was one area where Nigeria required serious help as its inadequacy affected the success of businesses and limits the productive ability of the people.

     

  • Osinbajo inaugurates Onnoghen as CJN

    Osinbajo inaugurates Onnoghen as CJN

    …gets GCON

    Justice Walter Onnoghen was on Tuesday inaugurated as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.

    The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, who led the inaugurated was witnessed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former CJNs members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC); Justices of the Supreme Court, among others.

    After taking his oath of office, Osinbajo decorated Onnoghen with the second highest national honours of the Grand Commander of Order of the Niger (GCON).

    Details later.

     

  • Assets declaration: ‘Why CCB didn’t interview Saraki during investigation’

    Assets declaration: ‘Why CCB didn’t interview Saraki during investigation’

    …Trial resumes March 21

     

    The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) did not see the need to interview Senate President, Bukola Saraki while investigating the alleged inconsistencies in the various assets declaration forms Saraki submitted, a senior official of the bureau explained Thursday.

    Saraki has consistently claimed to have been denied fair hearing on the ground that he was not interviewed by the CCB on the alleged discrepancies in his assets declaration forms before he was charged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    But, Thursday, CCB’s Head of Investigation Department, Samuel Madojemu explained that it was not a mandatory requirement that everyone being investigated by the CCB must be interviewed personally before charges are filed against such a person before the CCT.

    He said, in Saraki’s case, the CCB chose not to invite him for interview because his statement on oath as represented by his declarations in the various assets declaration forms he submitted to the CCB was sufficient.

    Madojemu spoke while being cross-examined as the third prosecution witness by Saraki’s lawyer and former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Kanu Agabi (SAN), at the resumption of proceedings yesterday in the Senate President’s trial before the CCT.

    “The defendant (Saraki) was not interviewed because he had already made his statement on oath in the form of his assets declaration form.

    As a matter of convention in the CCB, we usually invite subjects (those being investigated), but it is not compulsory. It is within the prerogative of the Chairman of the CCB to invite or not to invite,” Madojemu said.

    He also said Saraki was not the only former state governor investigated by the CCB.  Madojemu said he could not confirm if the team that investigated Saraki in 2006 interviewed him, because he (the witness) was not part of that team.

    The witness, who said he was a member of the team of investigators that investigated Saraki’s assets declaration claims in 2015, stated that the 2015 investigation was in furtherance of an earlier investigation conducted in 2006.

    He said the latter investigation was informed by complaint from the Federal Ministry of Justice, which found that report of the 2006 investigation scanty. He said he was not aware there was a petition to the CCB against Saraki.

    Madojemu said: “The 2015 investigation was informed by the need for further investigation of his claims in the assets declaration forms. I am not here to challenge the work of the 2006 investigation team, but to state that, based on the outcome of the investigation conducted by the 2006 team, which was found to be scanty; there was need for further investigation.”

    When Agabi sought to know who declared the 2006 report scanty, the witness said the EFCC reviewed the report and found that it did not cover all the years Saraki served in public offices and decided there was need for further investigation of all his assets declaration claims.

    On who directed the 2015 investigation, Madojemu said: “The complaint came from the Federal Ministry of Justice, arising from the investigation by the EFCC. From the complaint and intelligence supplied by the Federal Ministry of Justice, the CCB and EFCC decided to collaborate to ensure detailed investigation of the case.”

    The witness gave names of some members of the 2015 investigation team to include himself, Michael Wetkas (of the EFCC), Nura (EFCC), Samuel Yahaya (CCB), Peter Danladi (CCB) and Yahaya Bello (EFCC).

    The tribunal, which sat for less than two hours yesterday, has adjourned further hearing to March 21.

  • Knocks, kudos for Buhari’s anti-graft battle

    The President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-graft battle on Thursday received knocks and kudos at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The occasion was the National Dialogue on Corruption organized by the office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC).

    The good and bad of the present fight against corruption in the country took the centre stage at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja

    The newly confirmed Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, and Senator Chukwuka Utazi, who represented the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, faulted the ‘sting operation’ process against judges by the executives arm of government.

    Saraki specifically noted that the sting operation was carried out without the necessary court warrants.

    But Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, were on hand to defend the actions of the government.

    The occasion also saw the Chairman of PACAC, Professor Itse Sagay differing with the Country Officer and Head of Office,  Open Society Initiative for West Africa,  Jude Iloh over the February 6th protests against Buhari’s government.

    While seeking international cooperation to defeat corruption in Nigeria, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo said that corruption is an existential threat to Nigeria both as a nation and as an viable economic entity.

    He said: “But the truth of the matter is that we all know that corruption in Nigeria is systemic. It doesn’t matter whether it is the Executive arm of government, the judiciary or the legislature, every arm of government is involved in this systemic and life threatening social anomaly called corruption.

    “There’s no question at all. And it affects all segments of the society. It affects the religious, it affects agencies and civil society groups. There’s no one in our nation that can say they are not in one way or the other, not necessarily being complicit but at least under some influence or the other of some of the implications of corruption. “

     

  • Saraki urges universities to shun all comers programmes

    Saraki urges universities to shun all comers programmes

    Dr Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, has urged Nigerian universities to be agents of community development rather than running all-comers’ programmes.

    Saraki, gave the advice while delivering goodwill message at the ongoing, three-day, 3rd Biennial Conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Nigerian universities in Abuja.

    He was represented by Sen. Jubril Barawo, Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education. Saraki said in the past, Nigerian universities were known to have experts in certain programmes, adding that this is no longer the case.

    “Today, it is a different scenario, as many Nigerian universities want to run all programmes from university teaching hospital to having a nuclear department.”

    This development, he said, had paved way for influx of unprepared students many of who could not address their special needs.

    “There is, therefore, the need for Nigerian universities to change from being conventional sources of graduates to becoming engines of community development.

    “Nigeria needs a new generation of universities that can serve as engines of community development and social renewal,’’ Saraki said.

    He said that fundamental reforms would be needed in the curriculum design of the universities to boost their efforts in proffering lasting solution to the nation’s economic social and environmental challenges.

    Saraki urged the committee to look into some other unwholesome practices by some lecturers who took delight in taking up multiple appointments or full time employment in more than one university.

    This among others, he said, accounted for the reduction in the quality of graduates, as a result of lack of adequate supervision by lecturers.

    He, however, called for an end to labour disputes in the higher institutions to check strikes, adding that better funding would make them relevant “in the ever-competitive contemporary education.’’

    The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, identified resource constraints as one of the challenges facing the universities.

    He, however, called on the university authorities to manage the available resources at their disposal effectively and efficiently to achieve their aims and objectives.

    Adamu’s massage was tagged: “The Journey so far and the Future; The Ministerial Strategic Plan for Higher Education’’.

    The minister was represented at the occasion by Hajia Fatima Gidum, Director, Tertiary Education in the ministry.

    Adamu urged the conference to come up with a framework for the funding of tertiary education and augment the statutory resources.

    The conference, with theme, “Sustainable Tertiary Education in a Harsh Economic Environment”, will end on Thursday.

     

  • Allegations against me at CCT made ‘no sense’- Saraki

    Allegations against me at CCT made ‘no sense’- Saraki

    The Federal Government on Thursday re-arraigned Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on an 18-count amended charge over false asset declaration and money laundering at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja.

    The Prosecution team, led by Mr Rotimi Jacobs, filed the amended charge on Feb. 8 after the trial had gone underway with a number of prosecution witnesses testifying.

    Saraki was initially standing trial on a 13-count charge for alleged false asset declaration at the tribunal.

    The trial, which started in September 2015, was later amended in 2016, with an addition of three charges, making it 16-count.

    The Chairman of the tribunal, Mr Umar Danladi, held that the court was compelled to give a short adjournment for the defendant’s team to study the new charge.

    The matter was then adjourned until Feb. 23 for the defendant to take his fresh plea.

    At the resumption of the trial, Saraki made his plea, where he denied all the allegations in the charge.

    He said his trial was politically-motivated, adding that the allegations included in the charge made “no sense” to him.

    Saraki’s plea was immediately followed by the testimony of a prosecution witness, Mr Samuel Madojemu.

    Madojemu, an official of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), had earlier given evidence on Feb. 8.

    He insisted that Saraki failed to capture his properties at No. 15a and 17a Macdonald street, Ikoyi, Lagos in the asset declaration form.

    The witness said most of the documents tendered as exhibits were obtained by EFCC operatives and validated by the bureau.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the amended charge also borders around false assets declaration and money laundering between 2003 and 2011 when the defendant was governor of Kwara.

    Meanwhile, the presiding judge had adjourned trial until March 2. (NAN)

  • Saraki, Ambode, Elumelu others win Consumersng awards

    Saraki, Ambode, Elumelu others win Consumersng awards

    Consumersng, an online consumer rights advocacy platform has named Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, Philanthropist, Tony Elumelu and seven others among its 10 outstanding personalities who impacted Nigeria positively in the year 2016.

    Each year, Consumersng recognises individuals, organisations and governmental bodies who have demonstrated a strong commitment to serving Nigeria while maintaining a global mindset.

    The advocacy group, in a media release on Monday, said Saraki is being conferred with a leadership award for the several pro-people roles played by the 8th assembly under his leadership.

    Ambode-1Meanwhile, Lagos governor, Ambode and his counterpart in Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu, were both chosen for the agricultural business relationship between the two states which apart from feeding several homes kept thousands of Nigerian farmers in Kebbi employed at a time the country is in dire need of a boost in local production/consumption.

    The group also recognised Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for the infrastructural development in the state and his relentless commitment to improving the lives of his people despite seeming political challenges plaguing Rivers.

    Other awardees include philanthropist, Tony Elumelu who has touched many lives through his Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), one of the largest private philanthropic organizations in Africa; Chairman Ifeanyi Ubah FC, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, who is being recognized for “his exemplary leadership and roles in the improvement of Nigeria’s league games.”

    mr-ifeanyi-ubahOthers winners are; Managing Director, Eko Electricity Distribution, Oladele Amoda, who is being recognised for “his timeless efforts and roles in corporate leadership .” Also on the list of the Consumersng’s top 10 outstanding personalities award is the Mr Roomans Jacques, President, Seatruck Group, who is being rewarded for his gallantry efforts in developing local content (oil and gas).  

    Young entrepreneurs, Sijibomi Ogundele of Sijimoto Construction Company; Dr Nasko Ibrahim, CEO HMG Group and Mr Suleiman Yusuf, CEO, Blue Camel Energy Ltd; were all rewarded for their unwavering support towards employment creation and contributing immensely towards achieving a stable economy.

    Announcing this year’s awards the Chairman, Consumersng Awards, Anefiok Akpan said:  “The award is to encourage leaders and organisations to continue to be forces for positive change and to inspire solutions to some of the prevalent issues faced by the country. The award goes to someone who has built bridges.

    The awardees will be virtually celebrated on15th, March 2017, a day which marks World Consumers Day.”

  • March 8 deadline to pass budget 2017 fails

    March 8 deadline to pass budget 2017 fails

    The March 8 deadline fixed by the National Assembly to pass budget 2017 may no longer be feasible, it was learnt yesterday.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has however tasked standing committees to expedite action on the budget process to ensure its speedy passage.

    The leadership of the upper chamber yesterday met with chairmen of committees in a closed session to obtain update on how far they have gone with the budget.

    Findings showed that most of the committees blamed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for their inability to conclude work on the budget preparatory for its passage.

    The MDAs were said to have failed to provide necessary details to the committees while some of the details provided were said to have been littered with inconsistencies.

    For instance, the Social Intervention Fund of N500 billion was said to have been proposed without details of how the funds will be disbursed.