The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chukwuka Onyema

  • PDP Reps to keep vigilance on NASS to prevent Saraki’s impeachment

    Following the formal defection of the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki from the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the caucus of PDP in the House of Representatives has vowed to resist the impeachment plot against him.

    The caucus said it is currently keeping vigilance over the Senate Chamber to prevent it being forcefully accessed by APC Senators.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed an alleged plot to impeach Saraki by some APC senators said to have perfected plans to force their ways into the chamber with the connivance of security agencies.

    The National Assembly is currently on a two-month annual recess.

    The Deputy Minority Leader of the House Chukwuka Onyema briefed reporters at the National Assembly yesterday evening where he said PDP lawmakers in the House would scuttle the plot by watching over the National Assembly.

    Read Also: Saraki, Senators, Reps’ defection immature – Cleric

    Onyema, who was flanked by about 10 members alleged senators, Abdullahi Adamu, Ovie Omo-Agege and Ali Ndume as being the arrowheads of the forceful takeover of the Senate chamber and the impeachment plot while the federal lawmakers are on their annual vacation.

    He said: “The aim of their invasion while other senators are on recess is to come and sit illegally when everybody is on recess to impeach the senate president.

    “We also have it on good authority that they are planning to come back this night and tomorrow morning aided by security forces; our own security forces whose job is to protect the lives of Nigerians.

    “They are the ones leading these dissident senators to come and truncate our democracy. We might think they want to take over the senate; that’s not what they want to do.

    “They want to truncate this democracy of ours. But we the PDP caucus has decided to stay here to keep vigil and wait to s what’s going to happen tonight and tomorrow night”.

    He however said it was time for Nigerians to rise up and defend the nation’s democracy, “This is not a rape on the National Assembly, it’s a rape on democracy which concerns all of us.

    “If we allow this to happen, then we can as well go back to when we use to have a military junta.

    “We also have some information that some policemen have arrived. We want to find out what they are doing here,” he added

     

  • Atiku to Reps: Why I want to contest

    …As lawmakers demand automatic return tickets

     

    The former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar met with members of the House of Representatives under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Thursday night in the National Assembly (NASS).

    The caucus was led by the Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyema.

    The PDP presidential candidate used the opportunity to acquaint the members of reasons for his ambition.

    Read Also:

    The former Vice President personally distributed his letter of intent to each member of the caucus and some reformed All Progressives Congress (rAPC).

    The letter reads in part: “After thorough consultations with my families,  major stakeholders within man outside the party including party stalwarts, traditional and religious leaders, various youths and women groups, the civil society and the private sector; I , Atiku Abubakar, wishbone inform you about my aspiration for the exalted office of the President of Federal Republic of Nigerian under the flagship of People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

    “As stipulated by the Party constitution and guidelines for nomination, it is mandatory that we go through the process of presidential  party primary election.

    “It is in line with this that I wish to humbly solicit your votes during this all important process.

    “I am in no doubt that with your support, in will emerge victorious amongst other candidates at the forthcoming Presidential primary election.

    “Together, we can liberate, repair and refocus our country Nigeria. Together, we can put Nigeria back inbred right pedestal. Together, we can get Nigeria working again”.

    The Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Chukwuka Onyema who spoke on behalf of the Minority leader, Leo Ogor, appreciated the candidate for the interactive session.

    He appreciated the consultation with the caucus as being an important part of the process.

    He however reminded Abubakar how important an automatic return ticket is to all the lawmakers.

    Though some of the lawmakers that included reformed All Progressives Congress (rAPC) wanted to ask questions, Onyema prevailed on them to shelve the questions since further meetings would take place even outside the NASS complex.

    He said: “We are happy that you already know the importance of legislators coming back as many times as possible and seeing our former leader Abdul Ningi who does not follow anyone that is going to fail.

    “In our usual way, we will look at this, go over it and come up with one voice. Any decision we take, we go together and try as much as possible to earn 100 percent”.

    Atiku left while the lawmakers stayed behind for more deliberation where Onyema was heard stressing the importance of a united decision.

  • Reps probe NNPC over N100b under-remittance to CRA

    The House of Representatives has launched a comprehensive investigation into the earnings of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from January 2018 to date.

    The lawmakers said that the ambiguities surrounding the corporation’s activities made it imperative to ascertain the volume of production of oil within the period under review.

    In addition, to ascertain the country’s earnings for that period,  an ad hoc panel will also find out the status of cash calls involving joint venture operations including the template used in arriving at the sharing formula.

    Also, the House will be looking at the exchange rate during the period due to the fact that NNPC sells its crude in dollars but remits to the Consolidated Revenue Account (CFA) in naira.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a matter of urgent national importance by Nicholas Ossai  (PDP, Delta), who said the failure of  NNPC to remit  about N100b into the CFA threw States and Local Governments that depended on the montjly allocation into a financial challenge that affected the payment of their June salaries.

    He said  the development was frustrating as it was not the first time such under – remittances would be made by NNPC.

    “Such under-remittance at a time when oil price is high and stable calls for an investigation because if not addressed, NNPC would just inform the nation one day that it has nothing to remit to the CRA from its crude oil sales.

    “One organizations cannot be allowed to make a black spot on Nigeria”, he added.

    Read Also: NNPC: Depot fire will not affect petroluem supply

    Dennis Amadi (PDP, Enugu) regretted that the country’s commonwealth is  being mismanaged by NNPC, lending credence to allegations in the past on how the organization is being managed.

    According to him, the corporation’s head was being alleged to have disbursed $5b for oil prospecting, constructing highways in other countries as a well as payment of oil subsidies without due process.

    “NNPC seems to be higher than everyone but there’s a need to pressure it into doing what is right”, he said.

    Aminu Shagari (APC, Sokoto) was however wary of the outcome of the proposed investigation saying previous investigative reports on the same subject have not seen the light of the day.

    “What happened to reports of committees set up on same subject in previous Assemblies?

    “This ad hoc Committee might not have the nerve to say what is actually happening. I will rather advise the Committee members to watch closely because NNPC will pick members one after the other and you see member speaking from both sides of their mouths”.

    Uzoma Nkem-Abonta(PDP, Enugu) explained that previous investigative  reports on NNPC that were not implemented was due to legislative procedural errors.

    “Why we dont see the result of past investigations is because we don’t we debate most of such reports immediately they were laid which mean that the recommendations are not in public domain.

    “Notwithstanding, the House must still carry out its duty because oil is the country’s  major revenue generator. The major source of our revenue should not be allowed to decline”.

    Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano), who said the issue of under remittance by NNPC is a national security issue, stressed the need for the investigation to be comprehensive.

    According to him, in order for the committee not to be embarrassed by running round in circles, a holistic approach to the issue whereby the period under review would be stretched back to January 2018 from the two months of May and June initially proposed by the mover of the motion.

    He also said in order to be objective, the Committee must look at other indices such as level of production, cash calls, template used for the cash calls, exchange rates used by NNPC for its sales and remittances during the period.

    The motion was unanimously adopted and the ad hoc Committee to be chaired by the Deputy Minority Leader Chukwuka Onyema was given two weeks to carry out the investigation.

  • Reps to probe alleged loss of N2bn, $3.8m interests from sale of PHCN

    Reps to probe alleged loss of N2bn, $3.8m interests from sale of PHCN

    The House of Representatives is to investigate the alleged loss of two billion naira and 3.8 million dollars through banks’ non-payment of interests on the proceeds of the sale of PHCN successor companies.

    The decision followed the unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Chukwuka Onyema ( Anambra-PDP ) at the plenary on Tuesday.

    The session was presided over by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

    The house resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to carry out the probe and to report back to the house within six weeks for further legislative action.

    Onyema had said that the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005 unbundled the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) into 18 successor companies.

    He said the companies were six generation companies, and 12 distribution companies covering the 36 states of the federation as well as National Power Transmission Company.

    Onyema said following the divestiture of Federal Government from PHCN through privatisation, the company was divided into separate companies known as the Local Electricity Distribution Companies.

    He said the successor companies made payment to the Federal Government through Standard Chartered Bank, Fidelity Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Access Bank, FCMB, Skye Bank, Sterling Bank, Zenith Bank and Unity Bank.

    “The accrued interests due to the Federal Government to the tune of two billion naira and 3.8 million dollars were alleged to have been diverted by those banks in collaboration with officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria,’’ Onyema said.

    He pointed out that the Nigerian Constitution empowers the House to conduct investigations for the purpose of exposing corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws and management of funds.

    NAN

  • Dogara calls for completion of 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    Dogara calls for completion of 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara on Tuesday called for the completion of the Second Niger Bridge and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, saying that they are pivotal to national development.

    Dogara made the call while declaring open a two-day investigative hearing on the nature of the contract or concession arrangement on the projects, organised by the House Committee on Works.

    Represented by the Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Chukwuka Onyema, Dogara said that the investigative hearing became critical given that the projects were constant ugly features in national discourse.

    While stating that proactive steps must be taken to ensure early completion of the projects, the Speaker said that the projects constitute vital arterial network for the country’s road transport system.

    “They have become media sensations and highly politicized to the extent that it now seems that we are playing games with the lives of our people.

    Read also: No hiding place for killers – Dogara

    “Past administrations have celebrated progress ostensibly made on them while achieving little or nothing in reality,’’ Dogara said.

    According to the Speaker, the House observed that contracts for the projects continued to feature in annual budgets without any seeming signs of their completion or total amount required to do so.

    “The Minister for Power, Works and Housing stated that funds for the projects in 2017 Appropriation Act were reduced, so they run the risk of becoming white elephant projects because they are not under concession or Public-Private Partnership arrangement.’’

    He added that the manner of execution of the projects was not in accordance with any defined method of projects execution.

    “The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority had spent about N18 billion on the Second Niger Bridge as the financier during their early stages.

    “As a result of these observations, the House, by resolution, urged the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to provide funds in the 2018 budget for the completion of the projects,’’ the Speaker said.

    Dogara noted that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway had become a subject of litigations as the government vacillates between executing it through PPP arrangement and direct funding.

    “Unfortunately, the same affliction is seeping into the execution of the Second Niger Bridge.

    “If the House of Representatives, in its oversight responsibility, does not step in at this time, we run the risk of continuing this path and the rehabilitation of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will remain a mirage and the Second Niger Bridge will never get constructed,’’ Dogara said.

    NAN

  • Reps PDP caucus rejects new PDP

    Reps PDP caucus rejects new PDP

    The caucus of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives has described those behind the formation of a new faction of the party as ‘impostors’.

    The caucus in a statement Thursday by the Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyema said it will never recognize or interact with the new faction, while calling for the investigation of the activities of those behind it by security agencies.

    The statement reads: “This band of impostors – pawns being strung along by devious elements in the ruling party – has the audacity to arrogate the name of our party, the PDP, to its misadventure, using a rented space somewhere in Asokoro, Abuja.

    “Feigning complete ignorance that the Wadata Plaza national headquarters of the PDP that is recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission is located at Wuse Zone 5 in Abuja, they pasted two copies of our flag on the wall and went to town like a band of jesters.

    “The PDP House caucus hereby declares that the five leprous fingers said to constitute the mischievous adventure do not constitute any faction, splinter group or whatever fanciful description they claim within PDP as they are only serving the errands of the ruling party elements planning to use them for even more mischief early next year.

    “The activities of the said men claiming to be starting a fresh PDP deserve urgent investigation and immediate halt by the police and the Department of State Security as we would not want enraged supporters of the PDP to take the laws into their hands in the process of dealing with such miscreants.

    “There is need to investigate how far these five leprous fingers are connected to the APC and its past record of widespread deceit and unscrupulous propaganda.

    “Our convention has come and gone in the face of a ruling party that seems so petrified at the thought of facing a reawakened PDP, even as it remains unable to hold a national convention like we did”.