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Tag: Deputy Senate Leader

  • Trouble looms in Senate over choice of principal officers

    The Senate reconvenes plenary on Tuesday after three weeks break following the inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly.

    With the seamless election of presiding officers, the question on the lips of National Assembly watchers is who becomes Senate Leader, Deputy Senate Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip?

    This is even as senators’ scheming and jostling for headship of juicy committees have begun in earnest.

    Insiders said that the constitution of the 64 standing committees of the upper chamber will be the first litmus test for the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.

    Multiple sources informed that lobbying for the key positions of Senate Leader and others “is getting more and more intense by the day” as the Tuesday date for the resumption of plenary draws near.

    The Senate President is expected to announce the occupants of the top Senate positions on Tuesday if the trouble shooting efforts of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yields fruit, it was learnt yesterday.

    The important positions, which will form part of the leadership of the upper chamber, also referred to as the “Selection Committee” are said to be the duty of the majority party in the Senate to decide who becomes what in line with its zoning arrangements.

    The Senate President is the chairman of the Selection Committee which allocates committees to senators.

    At the last count, Senators Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West) and Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North), both from North Central, are the top contenders for the slot of Senate Leader.

    With just three days to resumption of plenary, insiders said yesterday that APC is yet to take a position on who to choose as Senate Leader.

    Findings showed that while those rooting for the Niger North Senator to emerge Senate Leader are banking on “the work and the risk he took for the emergence of Lawan as Senate President,” those angling for Adamu are pushing what they describe as the Nasarawa West Senator’s “rich experience on legislative matters.”

    It appears that the main battle is the position of Senate Leader as other principal officers’ slots are said to “have been sorted out by the party.”

    A North Central APC senator insisted yesterday that the party “must do what is right in its selection process to avoid setting senators against themselves and breeding bad blood in the Senate.”

    According to the senator, who is also part of the lobby group of one of the contenders, “what remains sacrosanct is that the Senate Leader’s position has been zoned to the North Central but the race is still open as to who will be announced on Tuesday when we reconvene.”

    Unease in PDP over minority whip position

    The camp of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which many thought had got it right with the selection of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) as Minority Leader is already boiling.

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP is said to have concluded arrangements to tinker the list of selected principal officers of the minority party in the Senate.

    Unconfirmed reports on Tuesday said that the NWC of the PDP is pushing to drop the Edo Central Senator, Clifford Ordia, who was earlier selected as the party’s Deputy Senate Whip.

    A South-South governor is said to be behind the move to shove Ordia aside in place of Senator Sahabi Yau from Zamfara State.

    Those who emerged with Abaribe at a meeting held in the Abuja home of the National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, included Emmanuel Bwacha, who represents Taraba South Senatorial District, as deputy minority leader.

    Senator Philip Aduda, Federal Capital Territory, emerged as the minority whip while Ordia emerged as the Senate deputy minority whip.

    Read Also: PDP swaps minority positions in Senate as Saraki leads peace move to Edo

    It was reliably gathered that the attempt to drop Ordia is being fiercely resisted by other PDP South-South senators.

    Ordia himself is said to have been livid when the news broke that he might be dropped to make way for a Zamfara Senator.

    Some South-South senators are threatening a showdown with the PDP NWC, vowing to resist what they called a plot to impose Yau on them without due consultation.

    PDP has 16 senators from the South-South geopolitical zone while APC has two.

    Senators from Edo, Cross River, Delta and Akwa Ibom states are insisting that the South-South cannot be without holding a principal position in the upper chamber.

    One of the aggrieved South-South senators explained that election was conducted at a meeting held at the Abuja home of PDP National Chairman, Secondus, on June 14.

    He added that nominations were also made before winners emerged. According to him, those who emerged were unanimously backed by the various PDP organs.

    He claimed that the plot to drop Ordia does not have the backing of the caucus of the party.

    He said: “Under the rules of the Senate, it is not the responsibility of the National Working Committee to select principal officials.

    “It is the responsibility of the senators themselves to select who leads them. The minority senators have freely elected those they want and nothing will change it.

    “The argument that they want to represent every part of the country is false.

    “There are eight positions open to the PDP in the two chambers of the National Assembly. Even if you share one to each geopolitical zone, two will still get an extra slot.

    “Those we selected are known to us. They are the people we can work with. Some governors causing this division don’t know how the Parliament operates. They want to control everything in the party for their selfish interests.

    “Maybe the NWC has not learnt its lessons. The APC tried this imposition in the eighth Senate and they paid for it dearly.

    “It is up to the PDP to allow us have our way or allow strangers destroy its fold in the Senate.

    “The wish of senators must be respected for sustainable peace in the Senate.”

    APC and PDP senators’ caucus meetings are said to have been scheduled to hold ahead of the resumption of plenary on Tuesday.

    Although the agenda of the meetings are not known, they may not be unconnected with the need to reconvene a crisis-free Senate on Tuesday.

  • Senate moves to amend 75 year old Police Act

    The Senate Tuesday set in motion the process of amending the 75 year old Police Act to ensure delivery of better service by the Nigeria Police Force.

    This followed the second reading of a Bill for an Act to repeal the Police Act CAP P18 LFN 2004 and enact the Police Reform and related matters 2018.

    Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South) in his lead debate said that when passed into law, the Bill will make for the formation of a Police that shall protect the rights and freedoms of persons envisaged in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

    Read Also:Senate probes NYSC member’s death in Abuja

    Na’Allah lamented that “we are in a country where somebody will be kidnapped, ransom demanded, arranged, paid and delivered to the kidnappers without any arrest.”

    He said that the Bill will lead to the establishment of a Police that will “prevent the commission of crimes, detect crimes, apprehend offenders, preserve law order, protect lives and property and duly enforce all laws and regulations with which they are duly charged and such duties within or outside Nigeria as may be required of them by or under the authority of this or any other Act ensure cooperation between the Police Service and the various communities it serves in preventing and combating crimes, ensuring respect for the victims of crime; appreciating the needs of such victims and providing for effective civilian supervision of the Police.”

    Na’Allah noted that the general idea behind Bill which was read for the first time on 30th May, 2018 is the “establishment of a service oriented modern Police that will meet globally acceptable policing standards in a democratic setting to replace the current Police Force which was conceptualize and established in the colonial environment more to protect the colonial interest than to protect and safeguard the Nigerian citizen.”

    Na’Allah said, “The philosophy of the Bill goes to the conceptualization of the Police as a service in which the people and communities are core stakeholders and in which the people come first as against the Police as a Force which stood apart from the people it set out to protect and safeguard.”

    He noted that the Bill when passed into law will replace the Police Act, which came into effect on 1st April 1943 with all its subsequent amendments.

    He listed the highlights of the Bill to include:  “Section 5, which seeks to establish for Nigeria a Police organization to be known as the Nigeria Police to replace the Nigeria Police Force thereby removing the colonial vestiges of the police, making the Police more responsive to modern day policing in an independent nation governed by the Constitution and laws promulgated there-under and to bring it within acceptable global standards of police in democratic countries.

    “Part Three of the Bill, which comprises sections: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 clearly establishes the hierarchy of the Police as contemplated by the Constitution, their Appointments, Duties; Functions and Powers.

    “Unlike the existing Police Act, the Bill outlines the roles and duties of the Police hierarchy to avoid role conflict and to introduce a Responsibility Clause to make them more effective.

    “Section 24(2) of the Bill forbids a Police Officer from being the prosecutor in matter that he or she participated to promote and respect the principles of natural justice and allow for a free and fair trial.

    “Section 28 of the Bill provides for the bail of persons arrested without warrant to the effect that such persons shall not be kept in Police detention for more than 24hours without being charged to Court Within jurisdiction to try them. This is to bring the provision of the Act, when passed into law to conform with the constitutionally enshrined right to personal liberty as provided for by Section 35 (5) of the constitution and the African Charter on Human and people’s rights, which Nigeria has since ratified and which consequently is part of our municipal laws. ‘

    “Part Eight deals with offences by a Police Officer. The Bill elaborates on existing offences within the existing Police Act and Section 51 particularly criminalizes the drinking while on duty of any intoxicating liquor. This provision is intended to prevent the abuse of weapons by a drunken Police Officer.

    “Part nine seeks to establish Community Police forum and Boards in all the States of the Federation to consist of broad representatives of the community and the State to ensure effective, efficient and participatory community policing (Section 59).

    “Divisional and State Police Boards are also established (Section 60 and 61 and the objective of such boards are stated (Section 62), to include:

    1, Establishing and maintaining a partnership between the community and the Police;

    ii, Promoting communication between the Police and the community.

    iii. Promoting c00peration between the Police and community in fulfilling the needs of the community regarding policing. The rationale is that property of members of the community, it is ideal to involve the community in policing by engaging them in formal for a and decision making Boards and to provide them the opportunity tom participate in reviewing and revising policing mechanisms in communities.

    Part Xlll establishes a complaint authority with its functions clearly spelt out in Section 78 to include:

    1. Receiving complaints against police officers’ misconduct from the public and;
    2. Receiving complaints of misconduct against Police Officers from other Police Officers authority.

    Section 79 provides the steps to be taken after investigations, including sending a copy of the Report of their investigations and recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecutions if an offence is disclosed and sending a copy of the Report of Investigations and Recommendations to the appropriate Police authority for proper disciplinary action as per its regulations.

    “We cannot envisage any meaningful reforms of the Nigeria Police without first and foremost, reforming the legal infrastructure under which it operates.

    “The Bill is therefore that crucial step to reforming the Nigeria Police to make it amenable to the demands and expectations of our independent, democratic country that is an eminent member of an increasingly globalized world and to have a Police that is the product of our democratic experiences and expectations.

    “The Bill is certainly not an absolute panacea to our policing problems but will be a major contribution to addressing it.”

    He said that the financial implication of this Bill is no more than what has been appr0priated for the Police by the National Assembly.”

  • Senate to pass 2018 budget before end of December 

    Senate to pass 2018 budget before end of December 

    The Senate on Tuesday raised hopes of passing the 2018 budget before the end of the year. It has however raised the $45 oil benchmark price to $47 just as the document passed the second reading.

    It has given its committee on Appropriation up till December 19 to submit its report on the N8.612 trillion estimate submitted by the executive arm on November 7.

    Consequently, the lawmakers have adjourned plenary session till December 9 to consider the report from the Appropriation committee and other standing committees.

    The various committees are to engage the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government on their budget estimates during the short break.

    Speaking on the passage of the second reading of the budget, the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki urged the various committees to work within the December 19 deadline.

    He enjoined the MDAs to comply with the Senate’s timetable and to respect invitations that would be extended to them to come forward to defend their budgets

    “This is not time for excuses for Ministers or Heads of parastatals to be traveling and not be able to attend their budget defence.

    “We do not have the time. This is a very short timeframe, therefore, I expect all MDAs to be able to respect our invitation and be there on time so that the committees can wrap up and be able to present their reports by the time we come back on Tuesday, December 19”, Saraki said.

    Saraki also hinted of the probability of the Senate holding a public hearing on the budget estimates simultaneously with the budget defence exercise.

    He said, “There will be a public hearing on the budget. We are looking at Monday, December 11. However, in the next few days, an announcement will be made to that effect”.

    The Senate had earlier in the day passed the 2018- 2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) with a raise in oil price benchmark from $45 to $47 per barrel

    The Senate’s joint committee on Finance, Appropriation, National Planning and Economic Development that worked on the MTEF had fixed the benchmark at $46 per barrel but was reviewed upward by the Senate in session.

    In collaboration with the House of Representatives, the Senate approved all other projected parameters for the implementation of the budget.

    The parameters are premised on 2.3million barrel oil production per day, N305 to a US dollar exchange rate and 3.5% GDP growth rate.

    Others are N5.79 trillion projected non-oil revenue and N1.699 trillion for new borrowings etc.

    The Senate, through a resolution, will insert a clause in the final Appropriation Act that would compel the executive arm to revert to the National Assembly for any expenditure that may be at variance with the approved benchmark.

    The resolution followed a motion moved by the Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’ Allah and which was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate.

  • Nigeria loses $2.5bn to gas flaring annually, says Senate

    Nigeria loses $2.5bn to gas flaring annually, says Senate

    …Gas flaring a national embarrassment, says Saraki

     

    The Senate Wednesday said that the country loses $2.5 billion annually to gas flaring.

    The upper chamber also said that gas flaring is contributing to air pollution, heat, rainforest damage and climate change.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas Resources, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, stated this at a public hearing on Gas flaring (prohibition) bill 2017.

    Akpan noted that Nigeria has estimated 188 billion cubic feet of proven natural reserve making the country the ninth largest concentration in the world.

    According to him, “Due to unsustainable exploration practices coupled with lack of gas utilization infrastructure, we flare more than 75 per cent of the gas produced and re-injects only 12 per cent to enhance oil recovery.”

    He said that it is estimated that more than two billion standard cubic feet of gas is currently being flared in the country annually.

    The figure, he said, is the highest in any member-nation of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

    He added that consequently, Nigeria accounts for about 19 per cent of the total amount of gas flared globally.

    Akpan noted that in the over 1,000 oil fields located across the country, the towering flames resulting from gas burning seems to villagers as an inevitable consequence of oil production.

    He recalled that the first attempt to address gas flaring was made in 1969 through the Petroleum (Drilling & Production) Regulation which merely required that oil producing companies submit Gas Utilization Plan (GUP) five years into the commencement of production.

    This, he said, was followed by the Associated Gas Rejection Act of 1979 and later the Associated Gas Rejection Regulation, 1985 made to specify conditions for issuance of certificate for continued gas flaring.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki who inaugurated the public hearing described the issue of gas flaring in the country as a matter of great national embarrassment

    Saraki who was represented by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah noted that Nigeria has no reason to continue to ‘flare this precious resource God has endowed us with.”

    He said that the seeks to make provisions for the prohibition of the flaring and venting of natural gas in any   oil   and gas production   operation   in   Nigeria.

    Saraki said that gas flaring is as old as the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria.

    “While it remains   a global   environmental   malaise   with   attendant environmental consequences, we must move with the rest of the world to seriously put an end to it. Gas flaring is not inevitability.

    “Whilst statistics may not be accurate, the quantity of gas flared in Nigeria exceeds over 40% of the gas flared annually across Africa which amounts to about $7billion in waste.

    “Apart from economic waste being a consequence of gas flaring, flared   gas   is also   known   to   contain   toxic   substances   which   cause respiratory diseases and air pollution, leading to depletion of the ozone layer, ultimately having an adverse effect on weather and climate.

    “Only God knows how many of our citizens have lost their lives as a result of gas flaring.

    “We are yet to ascertain how many are suffering irreparably from the aftermath of gas flaring.

    “What we know is that if we have not been flaring gas, our people in the oil producing States will have fared better in health and in life expectancy.

    “Like other countries blessed with gas, we would have   had   more power generating   capacity   and   attained   greater industrialization of the country,” Saraki said.

    He added that the 8th Senate recognizes that gas flaring is not just an environmental issue but that it is a developmental issue, a justice issue, a human rights issue and an opportunity issue.

    He said, “To us the continued drain on our revenue that gas flaring represents is no longer affordable. We are therefore committed to bring to an end this obnoxious business practice.

    “We are committed to once and for all prohibit gas flaring to save our people’s lives, save our environment   and   change   the   corporate   behaviour   and   attitude   of businesses towards environmental protection.

    “Today, we are attempting to use the instrumentality of the legislature to drive that process.”

  • 2017 budget: Senate gives to NNPC, CBN, 36 others marching order

    2017 budget: Senate gives to NNPC, CBN, 36 others marching order

    The Senate Tuesday gave marching orders to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service and 35 other Federal Government agencies to submit their 2017 budget proposals for approval or risk sanction.

    The upper chamber said that it was unbecoming that five months into the year, 38 statutory agencies of the Federal Government have failed to submit their budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year.

    It said that the agencies continued to make huge extra budgetary expenditure against the law establishing them.

    Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South) drew the attention of the Senate   to what he described as the abnormality of the agencies to submit their budgets for the approval of the National Assembly.

    Na’Allah noted it is wrong for agencies to spend money that has not been appropriated by the legislature.

    Na’Allah told the Senate that he intends to bring the issue to the floor as a motion so that Senators will understand the implications and the need to assist the government to fight corruption.

    He said, “I deliberately decided that I will bring it on the floor, so that Senators will understand the implications.

    “In our commitment to assist this government to fight corruption, we must stand on our feet that every spirit of our law must be obeyed by those holding public offices. I think that if you permit me I will like to come tomorrow by way of motion, so it can be debated on the Floor of the Senate.”

    “The only approach this Senate can take to assist this government in fighting corruption, is to insist that gross abuse of power and misuse of power must be stopped by every government agency. The only way we can build our institutions is to radically address the issue of abuse of power and misuse of power. I think that if you give me permission, I will like to bring it tomorrow as a motion.”

    Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who agreed with the submission of Na’Allah expressed displeasure over the failure by most government agencies to submit their 2017 budget proposals to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.

    Saraki condemned the practice where agencies of government spend money without statutory approval by the National Assembly.

    He ruled that the Senate would comprehensively debate the issue and take a resolution today.

    Saraki said: “We are already in May.  How can parastatals be operating without any budget, especially in this time of the fight against corruption and ensuring that there is transparency in governance? We need to take this matter seriously because clearly these agencies are just flouting the guidelines and breaking the law.

    “This is a very serious issue because as we all know, in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, these budgets are meant to have been submitted to the National Assembly since August 2016.

    “They are supposed to have come with the Appropriation document. We have now passed the 2017 budget without the budgets of the parastatals. I think this matter really needs to come up as a motion because this is a very serious matter. We need to debate it.

    “Leader, this is a very important issue and we must debate it tomorrow and if there is any Committee in exception or that have received from agencies they oversight, then they will have the opportunity to at least clear the parastatals and Agencies, that have sent their budgets.

    “But if as at middle of May, we are saying we have not received any budget from them, then which money are they spending and with what authority? We need to look into that and take a decision that may be they can only pay salaries until they bring their budgets here and approvals given.

    “I think once and for all, we need to address this issue and put an end to this disregard for laws and areas of corrupt practices,” the Senate President said.

    Agencies that are supposed to submit their budget proposals for approval by the National Assembly included NNPC, CBN, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASEI), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

    Others are the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Maritime Authority (NMA), Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Nigerian Postal Service (NPS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    The list also includes the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), National Communications Commission (NCC), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

    Others are National Insurance Commission (NIC), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC), Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Radio Nigeria, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Federal Mortgage Bank, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), as well as Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGZFA)

     

  • Chanchangi airlines chairman is dead

    Chanchangi airlines chairman is dead

    Amadu Chanchangi, Kaduna-based billionaire and Chairman of Chanchangi Airlines, is dead.

    He died along Kaduna-Abuja road while being transported to a hospital in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday.

    The business mogul had been seriously ill.

    “He has been buried around 2pm Wednesday according to Islamic rites at the Bashama road cemetery,” family sources said.

    Among early sympathisers were Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Deputy Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali, former member of Kaduna State House of Assembly, among others.

    Na’Allah, Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, described the late Chanchangi as a man of peace and a shining example of a devout Muslim.

    “His contribution to the development of the aviation sector, more especially in the North, will remain indelible,” he said.

    He prayed to Allah to grant him eternal rest and the family, people of Taraba and Kaduna states, the fortitude to bear the loss.

    Chanchangi is survived by three wives, 33 children; among them is Rufai Chanchangi, a member of the House of Representatives.

     

  • Melaye graduated from ABU – VC insists

    Melaye graduated from ABU – VC insists

    The Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Ibrahim Garba, on Monday reconfirmed that Senator Dino Melaye earned a degree in Geography from the Faculty of Arts in the year 2000.

    On the investigation of the certificate forgery against Melaye, the Vice Chancellor, who also appeared before the Senate Ethics committee told the committee that Melaye graduated from the institution as Daniel Jonah Melaye with a 3rd class degree in Geography.

    The VC noted that Melaye graduated and did his one year compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between 2000 and 2001 in Kaduna State.

    Vice-chancellor said: “From the records, I know Sen. Dino Melaye, who was formerly known as Jonah Daniel Melaye as a former student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and I know him to be the distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “From the records of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye who was at that time named Daniel Jonah Melaye graduate with a third class degree of the Bachelors of Art in Geography in the year 2000. And by this, he is a graduate of the university.

    “In my honour, I reaffirm that Sen. Dino Melaye graduated as Daniel  Jonah Melaye during the third semester  of the 1998/1999 academic session with a 3rd Class Degree in Geography, that is Bachelors of Arts in Geography.”

    Melaye had in his testimony said, “I thank you for the invitation and I want to state my unequivocal confidence in this committee to do justice to this matter.

    “I have few documents I would also want to tender to the committee and before I do that I also want to state with every sense of responsibility that I am a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

    “I gained admission with an offer of admission on the 6th of September, 1994 and the admission is to study Bachelor of Arts Geography and a copy of that admission letter will be tendered.

    “I also have a second document to tender, my acceptance offer by the university. I also have the third document to tender which is my result from the Ahmadu Bello University certifying me a graduate of the school.

    “I also have here a document for my registration that I tendered where I have C5 in CRS, A3 in Agric, C6 in Economics, C6 in Geography, C6 in Biology and a credit in English.

    “I will also tender that as evidence. I also want to tender that after my graduation from the Ahmadu Bello University, the school sent my name to the NYSC for the mandatory Service and I participated in the one year NYSC.

    “I served in Police College Kaduna and by the grace of God, that year I won the National Prize of the DG and it is on record and verifiable and I beg to tender my discharge certificate from NYSC,’’ he said.

    “My name as an undergraduate was Daniel Jonah Melaye. Jonah is actually my father’s name, so that is what I have on my university certificate.

    “But because I am now popularly known as Dino I applied to the court and asked that I needed an affidavit for change of name before my admission and I submitted it to ABU.

    “I will tender my Identity cards and I came here with a copy of my final year project duly signed by my head of the department in the Faculty of Arts as it was then called.”

    Senator Muhammed Ali Ndume
    Senator Muhammed Ali Ndume

    When the committee proceedings began, Senator Ali Ndume, who raised the issue was not at the hearing room.

    Clerk of the committee, Freedom Osolo, told the committee that Ndume could not be reached.

    Osolo noted that phone calls made to Ndume’s phone were not answered.

    When Ndume eventually came around he was questioned why he decided to raise the issue.

    Ndume told the committee that he did not write any petition, but only raised a point of order to draw the attention of the Senate to a newspaper publication.

    He said: “I did not petition. I only raised a point of order. That is Order 14 and 15. That is, when an issue about a lawmaker comes up, we have the right to bring it up. I made a request. The decision to bring this case before this committee is not my doing. It was the decision of the Senate. I did not expect that it will generate this kind of attention.

    “I came here with my own certificate. I was here when the Vice Chancellor said that Melaye graduated from the school in 1999. I do not know how you can graduate in 2000 but went for your NYSC in 1999. I do not understand.”

    NYSCAnyanwu corrected Ndume. He said the Vice Chancellor had already cleared the air on when Melaye graduated. He said contrary to Ndume’s claims, Melaye’s NYSC discharge certificate shows that he underwent the compulsory one-year national programme in 2000, after his graduation.

    Anyanwu retorted on another point raised by Ndume and said: “You said you did not write any petition, but only raised a point of order. Did you as a Senator do any due diligence before you brought the case before the Senate?”

    Ndume, again reacted: “That is not my job. That is the job of the committee. I only raised a point of order. I am not Punch Newspaper and I did not write this report.”

    Senator Peter Nwaoboshi stepped in at this time and added his voice. He said: “When you make such a serious allegation, you must back it up. Let me read the discharge certificate of his NYSC to you. That is the certificate.”

    Not ready to cave in, Ndume maintained: “I raised a point of order and it was referred to this committee. You have shown me the certificate and it has resolved the problem. It is not personal. If there is anything against the integrity of the Senate, it is our duty to clear it. What is the big deal?

    Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Na’Allah, who doubles as vice chairman of the Ethics committee explained more: “It is not about the procedure or the contents of the complaints. You are aware that you are a former Leader of the Senate. You are aware that the public, having formed an opinion, based on what you presented, that we clear this whole thing? I am sure we have cleared your mind since you have seen the discharge certificate. What will be your conclusion when you leave here?

    Ndume reacted: “Let me add that I called the attention of the Senate because I feel it is my responsibility to do that. I did not do it in isolation. It has happened before. It cannot be swept under the carpet. He has presented everything. What more do I have to say? What I did was to protect the integrity of the Senate.”

    Ndume left the hearing room at about 2.44pm.