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Tag: Bukola Saraki

  • Senate to reconvene April 24 for 2019 budget

    The much awaited report of the 2019 Appropriation bill was laid in the Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday.

    The Appropriation Committees of the two chambers submitted a harmonized budget report for the consideration and adoption.

    In the Senate Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje submitted the report while the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Mustapha Dawaki did the same.

    Both chambers did not consider the report of the N8.83 trillion budget proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 fiscal year.

    READ ALSO: Senate aborts bill to phase out petrol vehicles in 2035

    Findings showed that the lawmakers who have proceeded on the Easter break would reconvene on April Wednesday 24, 2019 to pass the budget.

    The House also adjourned plenary to enable members observe the Easter celebration, would reconvene on Tuesday April 23, 2019 to pass the budget.

    It is not clear whether there were major changes and additions made in the money bill as proposed by President Buhari.

     had mandated sub-committees to adopt the Executive submission of the budget in place of any ministry, department or agency that failed to turn up to defend their budgets.

  • Court gives Saraki, Dogara, 52 others five days to respond to suit challenging defection

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday gave Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Speaker, House of Representstives, Yakubu Dogara; and 52 other lawmakers until April 17 to file their responses to a suit asking them to vacate their seats.

    An advocacy group, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), dragged the lawmakers to court seeking a declaration that they were no longer members of the National Assembly having defected to other political parties before the expiration of their tenure.

    The defendants comprise 17 senators, 37 members of the House of Representatives, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the clerks of both houses.

    When the matter was called, Mr Efut Okoi announced appearance for the senate and the senators, while Safiya Mohammed announced appearance for the members.

    Both counsel urged the court to entertain their applications, noting that a litigant’s choice of counsel was his fundamental right.

    Mr Jubrin Okutepa (SAN), who announced appearance for LEDAP, said that the defendants were attempting to confuse the court by changing counsel.

    He noted that at Thursday’s proceedings, Mr Mahmud Magaji, SAN,  announced appearance for all the defendants and wondered why that had changed.

    He urged the court to ask Magaji to move the applications he had earlier filed and strike out any other applications before the court with regards to the suit.

    Read also: Why Saraki, Dogara are hell bent on installing successors

    Magaji, in one of his applications, challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter on the grounds that the plaintiff had no “locus standi” to file the suit.

    The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, however, held that it was in the interest of justice to hear all counsel in the matter.

    He ruled that the plaintiff (LEDAP) was at liberty to reply to all the processes filed by the defendants on or before April 15 and ordered the defendants to file their reply by April 17.

    He said that any party that failed to abide by the court ‘s directive would have itself to blame.

    The judge adjourned the matter until April 18.

    The court on Thursday suspended delivering judgment on the suit, even though the judge said it was ready, in order to give the defendants an opportunity to file their processes so as to give all parties in the suit fair hearing.

    LEDAP, in their suit filed on September 14, 2018 prayed the court for an interpretation of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.

    This was with regards as to whether any member of the National Assembly who resigns from the political party that sponsored his election before the expiration of the term for which he was elected, automatically loses his seat in the assembly.

    The group was also seeking a declaration that the lawmakers were no longer entitled to receive any remunerations due to a member of the National Assembly and that any of such remunerations after their date of defection be refunded to the Federal Government.

    LEDAP in the suit also prayed the presiding members of the National Assembly to declare vacant the seats of the defectors.

  • Court withholds judgment in suit against defection of Saraki, Dogara, 52 others

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has withheld its judgment earlier scheduled to be delivered on Thursday in a suit challenging the propriety of the defection of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives’ Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and 52 other members of the National Assembly from their former political parties.

    Justice Okon Abang’s decision not to deliver the judgment on Thursday, in the suit filed by a group, the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) was informed by request from lawyer to the lawmakers, who pleaded for opportunity for their clients to be heard in the case in spirit of fair hearing.

    For about five hours, plaintiff’s lawyer, Ede Uko and lawyer to the defendants (lawmakers), Mahmud Magaji (SAN) were locked in hot argument on whether or not the court should proceed to deliver its scheduled judgment or afford the defendant the opportunity of being heard.

    In a ruling, Justice Abang expressed displeasure at the legislators’ conduct in refusing to participate in the proceedings from inception, and failing to file their defence in the suit despite being served with the plaintiff’s originating processes and the court’s hearing notices.

    Justice Abang, who commended Uko for effectively countered the legislators’ efforts to frustrate the proceedings, however, noted that the court could not close its eyes to the processes filed by the defendants.

    She added that: “The right to be heard is a fundamental right.”

    He adjourned to Friday for the hearing of the defendants’ motion for extension of time within which to file their defence and any other processes filed.

    In the substantive suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/996/2018 and filed on September 14, 2018, the plaintiff prayed the court to compel the affected legislators to, not only vacate their seats in the National Assembly, but also refund all allowances and remuneration they received since their defection.

    LEDAP equally prayed for an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections in the constituencies of the defecting lawmakers.

    It is LEDAP’s contention that by Section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution “any member of the National Assembly, who resigns from the political party that sponsored his election into the National Assembly, before the expiration of the term for which he was elected, automatically loses his seat in the Assembly, unless saved by the exception under that section.”

    LEDAP cited a Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde v. The Ondo State House of Assembly and argued that the only justification for members of the National Assembly to lawfully defect from their parties lies in the existence of a division in their parties or a merger between their parties and others.

    The affected lawmakers listed in the suit were 17 senators and 37 members of the House of Representatives, who defected from the parties, on which platforms they rode to the Legislature.

    They include Saraki, and Dogara, who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Godswill Akpabio, who left the PDP for the APC. Others also left either APC and PDP for other parties.

    Other than Saraki and Dogara, some Senators also affected by the suit include Senators Godswill Akpabio, Dino Melaye, Shehu Sani, Rabiu Kwawanso, Barnabas Gemade and Lanre Tejuosho.

    Beside the 54 lawmakers, the plaintiff also listed the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), INEC, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives as defendants.

  • Court suspends judgment on suit seeking to sack Saraki, other lawmakers

    The Federal High Court, Abuja has suspended delivery of judgment in a suit filed by an advocacy group, Legal Defence and Assistance Project, (LEDAP) seeking the sack of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and 55 other lawmakers.

    LEDAP dragged Saraki and the 55 other lawmakers to court seeking a declaration that they were no longer members of the National Assembly having defected to other political parties before the expiration of their tenure.

     The group, in their suit filed on Sept. 14, 2018, prayed the court for an interpretation of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.

    This was with regards as to whether any member of the National Assembly who resigns from the political party that sponsored his election before the expiration of the term for which he was elected, automatically loses his seat in the assembly.

    The group was also seeking a declaration that the lawmakers were no longer entitled to receive any remuneration due to a member of the National Assembly and that any of such remunerations after their date of defection be refunded to the Federal Government.

    LEDAP in the suit also prayed the presiding members of the National Assembly to declare vacant, the seats of the defectors.

    They had argued the matter in court with only a counsel to the Senate President being represented once while the other defendants never sent representation.

    The court, being satisfied that the processes were served on all parties but they chose to disrespect the court and stay away, allowed the plaintiff to argue his case and fixed April 11 for judgment.

    When the matter was called on Thursday for judgement, counsel to Saraki and the other lawmakers, Mr. Mahmud Magaji, SAN, urged the court to tarry in delivering judgment to hear from the defence team in order to deliver a better informed judgment.

    “The court should wait a while and hear from the other side now that certain facts are available to it.”

    He further contented that in law, once an issue of jurisdiction was raised, it behooved on the court to hear it first before handling any other issue in the matter.

    Magaji also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter on the grounds that the plaintiffs had no “locus standi” to file the suit.

    According to him, they are only busy bodies and meddlesome interlopers.

    The counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Ede Uko, however, argued that the defendant’s counsel was only attempting to arrest the judgment of the court.

    According to him, the law is trite under our jurisprudence that the judgment, particularly the final judgment of the court cannot be arrested.

    “I submit with respect that the application of the defendants seeking to arrest this judgment is misconceived and completely incompetent.

    He referred the court to several Supreme Court rulings where it was firm to say that no antics of parties could be allowed to be used to frustrate the administration of justice.

    Uko further argued that the conduct of the defence in the matter was not worthy of sympathetic consideration since they were duly served with all processes of the court and they even briefed a counsel to handle the matter.

    He said it was not the fault of the plaintiff that the said counsel failed to appear in court again seeing that the defence had nothing to file but to concede to the claims of the plaintiff.

    ” What the defence is seeking to hold onto is like a drowning man seeking to hold onto imaginary straws to keep afloat that is why they are coming to fish for defects even in the court, ” he argued.

    He prayed the court to discountenance and dismiss the application of the defendants and deliver the already prepared judgment not minding whose ox was gored.

    The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, in a bench ruling said that although he agreed with the argument of the plaintiff’s counsel, delivering the prepared judgment would be a wrong exercise of the court’s discretion.

    He held that the defendants waved their right to defend the matter and that the conduct of the lawmakers did not deserve a sympathetic consideration.

    “The defendants had sufficient time to challenge this suit but failed. They allowed the plaintiff to incur cost to prosecute this matter and also allowed the court to painstakingly prepare judgment.

    ” They are now in court trying to arrest the judgment, ” the judge held.

    He, however, maintained that notwithstanding what the plaintiff and the court had gone through, the right of the defendants to be heard was a fundamental matter.

    “I think the defendants should be heard before judgment is given.

    ” It will be a breach of the fundamental right of the defendants to fair hearing, though  they came late into the matter, for the court to proceed and deliver judgment.

    “I will reluctantly suspend delivery of the judgment to allow the defendants to be heard,” the judge said.

    He added that since time was of the essence, the defendants were ordered to serve the plaintiff their application for the enlargement of time by Thursday.

    The judge also ruled that a fresh date will be given for judgement as soon as the defendants were heard.

    He adjourned the matter until April 12.

    Some of the other lawmakers involved as defendants are; senators Godswill Akpabio, Dino Melaye, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Lanre Tejuosho, Shaba Lafiaji, Barnabas Gemade, Abdulaziz Nyako among other senators and members of the House of Representatives.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation are also defendants in the matter.

  • U-17 AFCON: Saraki to cheer Eaglets in Tanzania

    The Chairman of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Football Club, Ilorin, Seni Saraki has charged the national U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets to do the nation proud by winning the AFCON in Tanzania.

    Saraki, who stormed the team’s training on Tuesday at the training pitch of Package A of the National Stadium, Abuja also pledged to be in Tanzania to cheer the Golden Eaglets.

    Saraki’s visit was to drum up support for the players ahead of the West African U-17 qualifiers, and to specifically boost the morale of two ABS FC players in the team, Olusegun Olakunle and Gata Mubarak.

  • Make details of NASS budget open, Saraki orders

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has mandated the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Mohammed Sani-Omolori, to make details of the National Assembly 2019 budget available for passage into law.

    The mandate is contained in a letter addressed to the CNA dated 26 March, 2019.

    Saraki said that full details of the National Assembly budget with necessary line items should be made ready for passage as part of the National budget.

    Read also: Saraki: Education crucial for peace, security, rule of Law

    The letter signed by the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, is entitled,  “Subject: NASS budget details.”

    It reads in part, “The President of the Senate has asked me to request you to please ensure that the NASS Budget Details with all the line items are ready for passage along with the National Budget when Senate resumes next week. Thank you.”

    END

  • Senate okays N1.64tr borrowing plan

    The Senate on Tuesday adopted the N1.64 trillion proposed by the Executive for new borrowing to fund this year’s budget deficit.

    The upper chamber also approved the proposed N500 billion special social intervention funds.

    The adoptions were parts of the 2019-2021 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) passed Tuesday by the upper chamber.

    President Muhammadu Buhari sent the MTEF/FSP to the National Assembly on November 6, last year, for consideration and approval.

    The passage of the MTEF/FSP came as the Senate is set to receive the report of the 2019 budget from its Appropriation Committee.

    The Senate adopted all the critical projections in the MTEF/FSP as proposed by the Executive.

    The MTEF/FSP, an annual rolling three year-expenditure plan, sets out the medium-term expenditure priorities and provides the basis for the preparation of the annual national budget.

    The Senate Committee on Finance which considered the MTEF/FSP presented its recommendations for adoption by the Senate in plenary.

    Apart from the adoption of N1.64 trillion for new borrowing to fund the budget deficit, the Senate advised agencies to explore ways of generating additional revenues for the government to bring down the fiscal deficit.

    It said that the Federal Government should harness the full optimal potential of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in terms of revenue generation to minimise the level of new borrowing.

    Read Also: Senate Passes Police Trust Fund Bill

    The committee also said that the Federal Government should consider reducing waivers and exemptions. Besides, it should ensure that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) personnel were at all oil terminals for accountability.

    The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), it said, should consider increasing tax on luxury goods and services.

    On the N500 billion special social intervention funds, the Senate asked for the cooperation of committees in the National Assembly and other MDAs in ensuring that the funds are judiciously utilised to provide tangible impact on Nigerians.

    The Senate retained the oil output of 2.3 million barrels per day, oil price benchmark of $60 per barrel, exchange rate of N305/$1, GDP growth rate of 3.0 per cent and inflation growth rate of 9.98 per cent.

    Other Executive proposals for 2019 also adopted by the Senate include: proposed expenditure of N8.83 trillion, FGN retained revenue N7.92 trillion, fiscal deficit N1.86 trillion, new borrowings N1.65 trillion, statutory transfers N492.4 billion, debt service N2.14 trillion, Sinking Fund N120 billion, total recurrent (non-debt) N4.72trillion, personnel costs (MDAs) N2.29 trillion, capital expenditure N2.86 trillion, Special Intervention N500 billion.

    The committee said that crude oil production output stood at 2.0 million barrels as of December 2018.

    According to the committee, the 2.3 million barrels daily target is achievable “due to the continuous efforts of all stakeholders in checkmating the issues of oil facilities vandalism and other vices associated with such regard”.

    The committee, which recommended an exchange rate of N305/$1, asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) “to continue adopting strategies that will aid the strengthening of the naira and bridging the gap between the official and parallel market rate of the foreign exchange.”

    On the 2019 Budget, Senate President Bukola Saraki, gave the Appropriations Committee till tomorrow to submit the 2019 budget report.

    The Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Sunny Ogbuoji, told the Senate that only 24 of 61 sub-committees had submitted their reports.

    Saraki insisted that the budget report must be presented tomorrow ahead of the April 16 approval of the money bill.

    The Senate President warned that the Appropriations Committee would be forced to use Executive submissions if the sub-committees fail to submit their reports today.

    Saraki said: “It is unfortunate that only 24 committees have submitted their reports. Last week, we all took a decision here that we were not going to waiver on our position.

    “Our position is very clear: that all committees should submit (their budget reports). And those that don’t submit, the Appropriations Committee should use the Executive submission.

    “That position is still where we are. And I want to appeal to all our committees that you really have just till tomorrow (Wednesday) to make sure that your reports get to the Appropriations Committee because Thursday, you must lay this report.

    “Vice Chairman of Appropriations Committee, if you don’t get report from our committees by tomorrow (Wednesday), then you just use the submission of the Executive. But come Thursday, you must lay that report.”

    President Buhari presented the N8.83 trillion budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19, 2018.

  • Senate Passes Police Trust Fund Bill

    The Senate on Tuesday passed the Nigerian Police Trust Fund Bill (HB 1583).

    Recall that last week, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, had promised the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, that the Senate would fast-track its work on both the Police Trust Fund Bill and the Police Reform Bill.

    Reacting to the Senate’s passage of the Bill, which has also been passed by the House of Representatives, Saraki said: “By passing this bill, we will be creating big strides towards providing and improving security and the policing in our country.

    “One of the major concerns has always been the issue of funding. We believe that this bill will provide the funding needed for training and recruitment.

    “I am confident that by the time we lay the report on the Police Reform Bill, we would have gone a long way in moving the police in the right direction.

    Read also: Senate okays N1.64tr borrowing plan

    “It is our view that once we have these Police Bills as laws, we will relieve the burden on the military, so that it can focus on its Constitutional responsibility,” the Senate President said.

    The Police Trust Fund Bill, which was initially passed by the House of Representatives, aims to provide a legal framework for the management and control of the special intervention funds established under the Act for the training of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.

    The Trust Fund will also be utilised to enhance the skills of the personnel of the Police, in order to ensure their efficiency, overall performance, and constant improvement while they perform their duties.

    In addition to this, the Trust Fund will be used to ensure that the Nigeria Police Force has the necessary operational equipment, instructional materials, police stations and living quarters.

    The Bill will now be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

  • Breaking: Saraki gives committee Thursday deadline to submit budget report

    Senate President Bukola Saraki on Tuesday gave the Appropriations Committee till Thursday to submit the 2019 budget report.

    Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Sunny Ogbuoji told the Senate that only 24 out of 61 sub-committees had submitted their reports.

    Saraki insisted that the budget report must be presented on Thursday, April 11 ahead of the April 16 approval of the money bill.

    The Senate President noted the Appropriations committee will be forced to use Executive submissions if the sub-committees fail to submit their reports to the Committee by Wednesday.

    Saraki said, “It is unfortunate that only 24 committees have submitted their reports. Last week, we all took a decision here that we are not going to waiver on our position. Our position is very clear: that all committees should submit (their budget reports). And those that don’t submit, then the Appropriations Committee should use the Executive submission.

    Read Also: MTEF: Senate approves N1.64tr new borrowing to fund budget deficit

    “That position is still where we are. And I want to appeal to all our committees that you really have just till tomorrow (Wednesday) to make sure that your reports get to the Appropriations Committee because Thursday, you must lay this report.

    “Vice Chairman of Appropriations Committee, if you don’t get report from our committees by tomorrow (Wednesday), then you just use the submission of the Executive. But come Thursday, you must lay that report.”
    President Buhari presented the N8.83 trillion budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19, 2018.

  • Lift visa ban on Nigerians, Saraki begs Qatar

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has urged the Government of Qatar to end its visa restriction on Nigerians.

    Saraki, according to a statement by his Media Office, made the request during a meeting with the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Qatar, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, in Doha.

    The Senate President, who led a National Assembly delegation to the 140th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) taking place in Doha, was quoted to have lamented that the visa ban is negatively affecting Nigerians as it prevents them from visiting the Middle East nation.

    Saraki was said to have noted that lifting the ban would help Qatar in showcasing its vast investment opportunities, technological advancement and other achievements to the rest of the world.

    While calling for more collaboration between the two countries, especially its parliament, Saraki was said to have lauded the leadership resilience of the Qatari government

    He said there was the need to set up a legal framework to enable skilled workers and professionals in Nigerians to legally gain employment in Qatar.

    Saraki said: “I want to commend your fighting spirit in standing up for your rights. You have demonstrated that you mean well for your people and what you have done is worth emulating.

    “That said, I think both countries (Nigeria and Qatar) need to strengthen their ties, especially our parliaments.  We need to collaborate to achieve many things together. The collaboration will be good for the two countries and for our people.

    Read Also: Umahi, Saraki greet Wike on re-election

    “I want to make an appeal that the visa restrictions placed on Nigerians be lifted. Nigerians are good people and we travel a lot.

    “This restriction is not good for both countries and I urge you to reconsider your position on that. The world needs to see the good things you are doing here and lifting your visa ban on Nigerians will encourage more people to come here and enjoy your beautiful country.

    “In the area of sports, we need to do more together. Nigeria is a sport loving country. We have talented people in various parts of the world, including Qatar, doing great things in sports. If we collaborate, we will be able to develop that sector too.”

    On his part, the Qatari Prime Minister, Al-Thani, promised to look into the visa restriction and ensure that it is resolved within the shortest time possible.

    The statement said that Saraki also had a bilateral meeting with Mr. Kenneth Lusaka, Speaker of the Parliament of Kenya where both leaders called for more collaboration between the parliaments of the two countries.

    The Senate President also met with the President of the IPU, Ms Gabriela Cuevas Barron – who is expected to visit Nigeria before the expiration of the 8th National Assembly in June.