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Tag: Deputy Senate President

  • Kabiru Gaya joins race for Deputy Senate President

    Senator Kabiru Gaya has joined the race for Deputy Senate President ahead of the inauguration of the Ninth Senate in June.

    Gaya, who represents Kano South senatorial district, is a member of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).

    A former Kano governor in the truncated Third Republic, Gaya is spending a third term in the Senate, having been first elected into the Senate in 2007.

    Gaya’s declaration is coming against the decision of the leadership of the APC to zone the position to the South South geopolitical zone. The senator is from the North West zone.

    Addressing journalists in his office on Thursday, Gaya said he was not aware that the leadership of his party had zoned the position to the South South geopolitical zone.

    Justifying his aspiration for the position, Gaya pointed out that the Speaker has been zoned to the Southwest where Vice President Yemi Osinbajo also hailed from.

    According to him, there is nothing wrong in having the Deputy Senate President from the Northwest where President Muhammadu Buhari also hailed from.

    Gaya said, “The general analysis of the Nigerian political power equation indicates that there is need for the North East to produce the Senate President; South West, Speaker of the House of Representatives; North West, Deputy Senate President; North Central, Deputy Speaker; while Senate Majority Leader and House Majority Leader and House Majority Leader shall go to the South East and the South South”.

    He maintained that leadership positions in the National Assembly should be based on ranking and experience of lawmakers aspiring for such positions.

    Senator Gaya said the position of Deputy Senate President and that of the Deputy Speaker ought to be open to qualified aspirants, regardless of the geopolitical zones they hailed from.

    The Kano lawmaker, who is presently the chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, however clarified that he was still consulting with critical stakeholders, including the APC and his fellow senators.

    Describing himself as a loyal party member, Gaya however said he would not go against a decision of the party to zone the position to a different geopolitical zone.

    “I don’t disobey my party leadership. What I am saying is that I am the most ranking and most qualified for the job”, he said.

  • Zone Deputy Senate President to South-East, Kalu tells APC

    A former Abia governor, Dr Orji Uzo Kalu, has indicated interest to contest for the position of the Deputy Senate President in the soon to be constituted 9th National Assembly.

    Kalu also wants the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the position to the South-East in the interest of equity and justice.

    The Abia North Senator-elect made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    He noted he was aware that the APC, which had the majority in the Senate, had zoned the senate president position to the North-East and the Deputy Senate President to the North-West.

    Kalu said: “I am a very loyal party man. The party has zoned the senate presidency position to the North-East and I want to respect the party’s will but the second position is what we are not going to allow to leave the South-East.

    “So, as far as I am concerned, in the South-East, I am going to run openly on the floor of the House for the position of Deputy Senate President.

    “I am not going to listen to the party neither will I listen to anybody. Nobody that wants to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party.

    “I have suffered for the party and have been called by Nigerians to come out.

    “I want the party to respect the will of every other person and I am committed to democracy and contesting on the floor of the House.”

    According to him, Article 50 of the Constitution and Article One of the constitution make it clear that the members of the National Assembly in-House can elect their principal officers.

    He said it was only fair the position was retained in the South-East, stressin President Muhammadu Buhari and APC Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, were well aware of this.

    “So, if justice must prevail, you have to bring the Senate President from the North-East and you bring the Deputy Senate President to the South-East.

    “The chairman of the party is from South-South. The President is from North-West. The Vice-President is from South-West and also the Senate President will come from North-East.

    “Whether it is Senators Ahmed Lawal or Alli Ndume, this will be decided on the floor of the House.

    “So, for me, the tripod in Nigeria is Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa and we are going to get the deputy senate president and I will fight on the floor of the House like no other person has fought.

    “That is not challenging the party but this is about looking for justice.

    “Buhari said recently after the elections that he will be addressing issues of injustice and this is part of the issue,” Kalu said.

    He further maintained he was qualified for the position having being a former member of the Federal House of Representatives from 1991 to 1993 and also a two-time governor.

    Kalu said: “I know the nook and crannies of how legislators operate.

    “I have dealt with them and I am not a new comer. So, it is going to be impossible to edge me out or edge a whole zone out by claiming we are new comers.

    “What I am fighting for is justice, fair play and for Nigeria to continue to be one. I have suffered in fighting for the unity of the country. They cannot use National Assembly or petty House officers to divide the country.

    “I have sweated. All my investments are in the North, in the West and the South and we must protect these things and leave in peace.”

    He, however, warned that he would be forced to contest for the position of the Senate President if the APC failed to do the needful.

    “I have the capacity for lobbying. I am well known in East, West and North.

    “If the party continues this way, I will run for the Senate President if justice is not done to say South-East brings the Deputy Senate President.

    “I can assure you that there are over 56 Senators in my kitty now for either the Senate President or the Deputy Senate President that have already signed to what I believe in.

    “It is only just to unveil it on the floor of the House,” Kalu added. (NAN)

  • Ekweremadu raises the alarm over missing result sheets

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu on Monday raised the alarm over alleged missing Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) result sheets for Enugu West Senatorial District during last weekend’s botched presidential and National Assembly elections.

    A statement by the Special Adviser (media) to the Deputy Senate President, Uche Anichukwu, said Ekweremadu spoke during a town hall meeting he organised across the local governments in his senatorial district.

    It said Ekweremadu, who spoke at Oji, council headquarters of Oji River Local Government Area, reported the result sheets remained missing, although he had brought it to the notice of the INEC authorities.

    According to him: “Some people intended the Saturday elections for evil, but all things work together for good unto those that love God, those who repose their absolute trust in Him.

    “Don’t forget that some people had earlier boasted how they would overrun us by isolating the State for a staggered election.

    Read also: Partnership with Skool Media will enhance lCT skills in schools-FG

    “You must also have read the reports that Enugu State was one of the states that didn’t receive any materials or materials were incomplete.

    “They ensured that the result sheets for the entire Enugu West Senatorial District were missing or not delivered. I have lodged the complaint with the INEC authorities, but the result sheets are still missing as I speak.

    “So, I urge you and indeed Nigerians to remain vigilant. Don’t despair. Don’t allow your spirits to be broken.

    ”We have come very far in this struggle and we are now at a point of no retreat, no surrender.”

    He added: “Use the opportunity of the rescheduled dates to make your voices heard louder at the polls.

    “Those who travelled to vote should, please, exercise a little more patience by staying behind or endeavouring to return this weekend to cast their votes.

    “I urge every Nigerian to be where he or she will cast ballots on the rescheduled dates.”

  • Non-payment of salary: Workers shutdown National Assembly

    Members of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Tuesday made good their threat to disrupt activities at the National Assembly.

    The workers in their numbers shutdown the National Assembly over alleged non-payment of salary and other allowances

    The two chambers of the National Assembly were barricaded by the plea cards bearing workers as they stopped Senators and House of Representatives members from accessing their offices.

    Read Also:Buhari approves enhanced salary structure for Police

    Principal Officers, including Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and his deputy Lasun Yusuff, were not left out.

    Some of the protesting workers took over the National Assembly lobby chanting solidarity songs as they displayed their numerous plea cards with various inscriptions.

    Others mocked Senators and House of Representatives members as they staged a fake parliamentary session with one of them bearing the mace.

    The workers had at the weekend threatened to picket the National Assembly over claim of non-payment of salary and allowances.

    The Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, however insisted that the protest was uncalled for especially when the demands of the workers were being treated.

    The workers vowed to continue the protest until Sani Omolori was removed from office.

    They claimed that efforts to explore dialogue with the management failed to yield expected result.

    They also claimed that since Sani-Omolori came on board, 28% increase of Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) which was captured in 2018 budget has not been paid.

    “The money has been released alongside other releases, and we ask where is our allowance?”

    “We will not rest on CONLESS until we receive alert. Omolori must go,” the workers chanted.

    PASAN issued a statement at the weekend to alert the National Assembly management of its planned protest scheduled for three days beginning from Tuesday (today).

    Some of the plea cards read “Pass our condition of service bill; CONLESS is not tied to 2018 budget; give us our CONLESS; bank loans are killing; No alert no sitting; Stop Omolori now before he stops Nigeria democracy, Omolori must go; We are not slaves.”

    When Saraki succeeded in paving his way to address the protesting workers, he assured them that the leadership of the National Assembly would meet management to resolve issues at stake.

    Saraki also assured that the two chambers would take steps to fast track the passage of the Condition of Service for National Assembly bill.

    The Senate President pleaded with the workers to call off their protest as their demands would be met.

    Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, said that the protest was not against the leadership of the National Assembly but against the management.

    Sani-Omolori on his part said: “It is a matter that has been on for some time now and we have tried to explain to them; we approved salary increase for them which was captured in 2018 budget but as it is today, it is a common knowledge that the level of implementation of the 2018 budget, especially the new addition to the National Assembly, which has not been implemented – that is where we had hoped that the addition would be paid.

    “So, to the extent that the money has not been released there is no way we can make the payment.

    “We told them it is wrong and we tried to prevail on them to try to see through things in the correct way. As a matter of fact, I wrote a letter to them and I also had series of formal and informal consultations with their leadership up till yesterday (Monday) to make them back out of what is clearly an act that is not in tune with their own rules.

    Asked if he is worried by the action of the workers, Omolori said: “I am worried that in an institution that you think people should be able to look at things properly and then they are not looking at it that way that is why I am worried.

    “I still insist that they need to be a bit patient with the system. Like I said, in my reply to them; in an unprecedented manner, the presiding officers acceded, without hesitation to their requests for this increment. It was bargained with them and they captured it in the budget.

    “So, how is it in their (lawmakers) powers, if the money is not released? And in any case, the reality on the ground is that it is not only the National Assembly that is suffering from non-release of funds. That is the reality of the Nigerian situation. So, I think we all have to be patient.”

     

  • Senate summons Amaechi over eastern rail line

    The Senate Wednesday invited the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to appear before its joint committee on Land Transport and Local and Foreign Debts over alleged exclusion of eastern rail lines.

    Amaechi is summoned to tell the upper chamber why the eastern rail corridor, Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, was allegedly excluded in the scheme of rail expansion and modernization.

    The invitation of the minister followed the adoption of a motion by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on alleged exclusion of the eastern rail corridor in the ongoing modernization of rails in the country.

    Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe raised a similar motion last year when he prayed the Senate to put on hold a foreign loan for rail lines in the country due exclusion of eastern rail corridor in the rail expansion plan.

    Amaechi told the Senate that there was no plan to exclude the South East area in the rail modernization scheme.

    He assured that the area will be included in the 2018 borrowing plans of the Federal Government.

    Ekweremadu said yesterday that the exclusion of the eastern corridor in the rail modernization scheme is not good for the country.

    He urged the Senate to intervene and prevail on the Federal Government to take steps to include in the rail line expansion project.

    He noted that there must be fairness and equity in the distribution of projects for people to feel a sense belonging.

    Ekweremadu said: “I want to bring to the notice of the Senate, the deliberate exclusion of the Eastern rail line in the ongoing construction/modernisation nationwide. This is not good for our country. It shows that some parts of the country are deliberately ignored.

    “I must commend the efforts of the Federal Government in ensuring that rail lines are developed, but it is also unfair to exclude the Eastern part of the country. Our people will suffer as a result of this.”

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Senator Shehu Sani, who supported the motion said that it appears there is no commitment on the part of the Federal Government to pay attention to eastern part in the rail development programme.

    Sani said: “The motion raised by Ekweremadu is apt and right. The last time we had an interaction with the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, he promised to include the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri rail line in the ongoing borrowing plans.

    “It is now clear to us that there is no commitment to do that. That axis has a lot economic benefits to Nigeria. The withdrawal of General Electric is worrisome. Some of my colleagues in the committee appended their signature to the plan to construct Lagos to Kano rail line. But with this development, I am sure that they are regretting.”

    Also Delta South senator, James Manager, wondered why the minister, who hails from the area, has chosen to exclude his place because of political differences.

    Manager said, “We are talking of railway and you are excluding the business communities in Nigeria. When you talk about business in Nigeria, the East is key. The government has decided to exclude that part. This is one issue every Nigerian is interested in. I am from Delta State and I am sure that my state too will be excluded.

    “Ironically, the Minister of Transport is from Port Harcourt. Local politics aside, he will return home after leaving office. We need to invite the Minister to explain to the relevant committees why he has decided to exclude some parts,” he said.

    Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, who also supported the motion, noted that General Electric, which ought to have handled the project, has not abandoned it.

    “I am supporting this motion. But let me clarify that the axis given to General Electric has not been abandoned. General Electric will have its subsidiary handling that axis. My concern is that, General Electric is designed to renovate the narrow gauge and not to modernise. Let there be justice and fairness in this issue.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari has given an express order that every state capital in Nigeria must have a rail line. Let the Senate work with the other side to ensure that the Eastern Line gets this project done,” he argued.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said that the issue of equity should be considered in the distribution of railway projects in the country.

  • Asset declaration: Charges laughable, malicious, says Ekweremadu

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Wednesday  said that his attention has been drawn to an attempt by the Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), Mr. Ofem Obono-Obla, to smear his name in midst of the current political activities.

    Senator Ekweremadu described the suit filed against him by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on behalf of the SPIP over his refusal to declare his assets to the panel as laughable and malicious.

    Read Also:http://staging.thenationonlineng.net/fg-charges-ekweremadu-other-with-non-declaration-of-assets/

    He said: “Let me re-affirm to Nigerians and my supporters that I have no assets declaration case to answer. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria requires public office holders to declare their assets every four years, a requirement which I fulfilled. The Panel requested and obtained copies of my Assets Declaration Form from the Code of Conduct Bureau where everything is stated in black and white.

    “For emphasis, all my assets were fully and comprehensively declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau.

    “What is at issue here is that the SPIP had forwarded fresh assets declaration forms to me to fill contrary to the position of the 1999 Constitution, a demand I refused to oblige because it is clearly unconstitutional. It is this refusal to disobey the Constitution that that I am now being charged for.

    “I am aware that the Chairman of that Panel wrote the same letter to some serving Honourable Judges of the Federal High Court, who also declined to fill them.

    “I am also aware that the affected Judges petitioned the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mallam Abubakar Malami, who immediately withdrew the provocative letters and fresh asset declaration forms with apologies.

    “I am further aware that the Office of the AGF had also intervened in a similar case involving the Obla Panel at the Federal High Court, Lagos and I believe all these culminated in Obono-Obla’s suspension in November 2017 before his recall.

    “It is, therefore, left to Nigerians to see the politics of the so-called charges in my case. The Office of the AGF should not allow itself to be used in filing malevolent and unconstitutional charges that destroy our democracy and make mockery of our judicial system.

    “I expect the Attorney-General to channel his energy to prosecuting Obono-Obla Panel over his established case of forgery of his Senior School Certificate result instead of this politically-motivated prosecution and smear campaign.

    “My position is that the Public Property Special Provisions Act, CAP R4 LFN, 2004, otherwise known as Decree No 3, 1984, which Obono-Obla has relied on to charge public officials to court had become obsolete and power to investigated non-asset declaration vested in the Code of Conduct Bureau by the 1999 Constitution. Only the Code of Conduct Bureau can receive asset declaration forms from public officers.

    “It is obvious that this is part of the desperate and panic measures to cripple the opposition ahead of the 2019 general elections. Every opposition candidate and leader should, therefore, be ready for such smear campaigns and onslaughts, but rest assured, however, that they would ultimately triumph where their hands are clean.

    “I insist my hands are clean. Anybody, who knows any undeclared assets of mine, should feel free to avail the public of such information.

    “Nigerians and the international community should, therefore, disregard this latest campaign of calumny and witch-hunt”.

  • Senate moves to unbundle Police

    …Bill scale first reading

     

    The Senate Thursday took steps to unbundle the Police as a Bill aimed at amending Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended), which deals with the Force establishment, scaled first reading.

    The Bill was listed against the name of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is also chairman, Senate ad-hoc committee on review of the constitution.

    The proposed constitutional amendment is entitled: “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2018 (SB.694) First Reading.

    After the adoption of the first reading of the Bill, Ekweremadu explained: “The Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution has fulfilled its mandate. Now the Bill has been taken for the first time. I am sure that as soon as possible, we will take the Second Reading and probably send it to public hearing through the committee so that we fast-track it as directed by the Senate.”

    The plan to amend the Section 214 of the Constitution to accommodate the creation of State Police and Community policing was proposed last week by Ekweremadu.

    The amendment is essentially aimed at creating state and community police to complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police.

    It is generally believed that the Police as presently constituted have proven to be ineffective, especially in the face of daunting security challenges in parts of the country.

    Senator Solomon Adeola (Lagos State) formally moved the motion last week, when the Senate considered a motion on recent killings in Plateau and other states.

    The Constitution Review Committee was mandated to submit a copy of the bill within two weeks.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki promised that the bill will be given speedy consideration to enable President Muhammadu Buhari assent it before the expiration of the administration.

    Findings showed that the Bill seeks to establish The Federal Police and State Police, while also creating the National Police Service Commission, National Police Council and State Police Service Commission for the states.

    The Federal Police, according to the Bill, shall “be responsible for the maintenance of public security, preservation of public order and security of persons and property throughout the federation”, and “provide state policing for any state that is unable to operate a State Police until such a time that a State Police is established by the House of Assembly of that state”.

    The Bill proposes the appointment of the Commissioner of Police of a state by the governor on the advice of the National Police Service Commission and subject to confirmation of the House of Assembly, while the term of office of the Commissioner of Police shall be for a period of five years only or until he attains a retirement age prescribed by law, whichever is earlier.

    “The governor or such other Commissioner of the Government of the State as he may authorise in that behalf may give to the Commissioner of Police such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order as he may consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or cause them to be complied with.

    “Provided that where the Commissioner of Police feels that any order given under this subsection is unlawful or contradicts general policing standards or practice, he may request that the matter be referred to the State Police Service Commission for review and the decision of the State Police Service Commission shall be final, the Bill proposes.

    Also, whereas a Commissioner of Police of a state may be removed on the grounds of misconduct, serious breach of policing standards, conviction by a court of law or tribunal, indictment by a judicial body or tribunal for corruption, participation in political activities, among others, such removal must be approved by two-thirds majority of the State House of Assembly.

    It goes on to propose that an “Act of the National Assembly may prescribe a bi-annual certification review of the activities of State Police by the National Police Service Commission to ensure they meet up with approved national standards and guidelines of policing and their operations do not undermine national integrity, promote ethnic, tribal or sectional agenda or marginalise any segment of the society within the state”.

    Also, the National Police Service Commission shall comprise representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, Public Complaints Commission, Labour, Nigeria Bar Association, Nigeria Union of Journalists, and the Attorney-General of each state, in addition to six retired police officers not below the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police as well as Chairman to be confirmed by the Senate.

    In the same vein, the State Police Service Commission shall comprise a representative of the Federal Government appointed by the National Police Service Commission, two members to be appointed by the National Human Rights Commission who must be indigenes of the respective states, a representative of the Public Complaints Commission, one representative of the Labour appointed by the Chairman of the state chapter, a representative of the NBA, and a representative of the NUJ. Others are three retired police officers to be appointed by the Governor from each senatorial district and the Commission Chairman whom must all be confirmed by the State House of Assembly.

    The Bill further provides that the State Police Service Commission shall be responsible for, among others, recommending the appointment of a Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police, and Assistant Commissioner of Police to the National Police Service Commission in addition to appointment, discipline, and removal of members of the state police below the rank of the Assistant Commissioner of Police.

    The National Police Service Commission, on the other hand, shall be responsible for the appointment of persons to offices (other than the office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Federal Police Service; and exercising disciplinary control over members of the Federal Police; recommending to the Governor of a State the appointment of the Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police of State Police.

    It will also be responsible for recommending to the governor the discipline and removal of the Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioner of Police of State Police as well as supervising the activities of Federal and State Police and prescribing standards for all police forces in the country in training, criminal intelligence data bases, forensic laboratories and render assistance to the State Police in areas as may be requested by such State Police.

  • MoU to rescue Nigeria, says Ekweremadu

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Monday assured that the coming together of various opposition political parties to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would rescue Nigeria in 2019.

    He said that the coming together of the parties would also restore the country on the path of democratic freedoms, joy, security, and development.

    A statement by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu said that Ekweremadu gave the assurance during the signing of the MoU by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Reformed-All Progressives Congress (rAPC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), among other opposition political parties in Abuja on Monday.

    He said that the mammoth crowd outside the venue which had gathered to witness the birth of a new Nigeria, showed that Nigerians now saw hope again and urged the grand alliance not be disappoint the people.

    Read Also:Insecurity: More will die unless, Ekweremadu warns

    He said: “For three years, what I see on the faces of Nigerians is frustration and anguish. But for the first time, I tell you that I saw joy. I saw people laughing and smiling for the first time in three years.

    “Those our brothers and sisters, and investors, who left Nigeria in the last three years are also rejoicing with you because by this time next year, they will all be back.

    “Those factories that were closed are going to come back alive by this time next year and Nigerians will rejoice.

    “The people of the South East whom the programmes and practices of this government are forcing them to have a rethink on their membership of this country, today will rejoice and be happy that a new country that will be fair to all is coming; a country that they will be proud to be part of and continue to contribute to her development.

    “All our people in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, who have been wondering or believe that they will spend the rest of their lives in the IDP camps are happy today because their stay there is almost over; because next year, we will enthrone a government that will take them to their homes and protect them there.

    “The media houses, all the instruments and institutions of democracy that have been trampled and muzzled in this country, they will be free again to do their work without fear of intimidation.

    “Those, who are being persecuted on account of their political views or insisting that the right thing should be done, are also going to rejoice because a new dawn is here,. One of them is my brother, Senator Dino Melaye, who went through hell, but today, he is a free man.

    “Also, remember that Nelson Mandela said that unless Nigeria earns the respect of the world, no one would respect Africa. So, various countries of Africa, who have looked up to Nigeria to provide leadership will have a good dinner in their houses today, happy that we are coming back again to retake our place again as the foremost country in Africa and to provide leadership”.

    He enjoyed Nigerians to keep faith with the new movement as they days of their anguish and sufferings were numbered.

  • MAN, DIBAN, others kick against 500 percent excise tariff increase

    Stakeholders in the manufacturing industry in the country Monday kicked against the proposed 500 per cent increase on excise tariff by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

    The stakeholders, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), Association of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employers of Nigeria ( AFBTEN) and others opposed the proposed excise tariff’ hike in their separate submissions at a function of the Senate Committee on Finance.

    The Finance committee in line with resolution of the Senate organised a public hearing on “urgent need to review the excise tariff increment in order to save local distillers of beverages from looming extinction”.

    Read Also:NLC rejects 500 percent tariff on local alchohol

    The stakeholders at the hearing noted that the proposed policy recommended by the Tariff Technical Committee (TTC), would if allowed to be implemented, “affect manufacturers, producers, businesses and render millions of Nigerians jobless.”

    Chairman of DIBAN, Patrick Anegbe in his submission, lamented that if the policy was allowed to stand, N420billion worth of investments would be ruined aside over 250,000 workers who will be laid off.

    Comrade Mike Olanrewaju who represented the labour unions at the session, said the proposed 500% increase on excise tariff is suicidal and must not be allowed to be implemented.

    Olanrewaju noted that the proposed policy was dead on arrival since organized labour and other critical stakeholders were not consulted.

    He said, “One of the strategies expected  from  any responsible and responsive government in preventing crime and fighting poverty is job creation and not job losses through outrageous and outlandish tariff hike that would collapse industries and by extension  render millions of Nigerians jobless.

    “To us in the labour sector, we say capital no! to such tariff increase and if any increase is to be made at all, it should not be above one digit.

    “The proposed increase is counterproductive and would be resisted by all stakeholders because after Dunlop, Micheline and others, we don’t want any industry to collapse or relocate out of the country again.”

    Though the Director General of MAN, M. Segun Ajayi Kadiri in his own submission admitted that the Ministry of Finance and TTC consulted them before the proposed tariff hike, he noted that the rate agreed on the basis of revenue generation by government was not what the ministry eventually arrived at.

    Directed of Legal Services who represented the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said the 500% excise tariff hike was agreed by all stakeholders before the ministry issued circular to that effect in February this year.

    “Protests and petitions trailing the circular since then from concerned stakeholders are to us, unfortunate,” she said.

    The committee told the stakeholders it looking into the policy by collaborating with the executive on the need to review the tariff downward.

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who represented the Senate President, Bukola Saraki noted that “the major source of concern is the non-inclusion of primary stakeholders in the industry such as MAN, DIBAN in the consultation process that prompted the decision of the executive arm of government to increase the tariff rate of the affected products”.

  • Senators trade tackles over confirmation of INEC nominees

    …Confirms Festus Okoye as National Electoral Commissioner

     

    There was uneasy Wednesday in the Senate over the confirmation of nominees for appointment for the position of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) resident commissioners.

    This followed the consideration of the report of the Committee on INEC on the screening of nominees for confirmation as Resident Electoral Commissioners.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi North) presented the report of the committee for the consideration of the Senate.

    Trouble started with the recommendation that the nominee from Zamfara State, Ahmad Bello Mahmaud, should be rejected.

    Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central) openly accused the screening committee of being heavy compromised to return uncomplimentary comments on Mahmud.

    Marafa insisted that he has it on good authority that the committee was compromised to turn down the nomination of Mahmud.

    He challenged the chairman of the committee to provide the affidavit in support of the petition it claimed to have received against Mahmud.

    Marafa said, “I have evidence that the committee was heavily compromised to write its report. The committee should tender the affidavit in support of the petition it claimed that was written against the nominee.”

    Read Also:Senate faults claim of ‘insubordination’ as cause of rising insecurity

    The Zamfara Central senator said that the state governor, Abdul Azeeze Yari, was behind the attempt to deny the nominee confirmation.

    He noted that contrary to the insinuation that Mahmud was not from Zamfara State, the nominee was born and bred in the state.

    Senator James Manager (Delta South) threw his weight behind Marafa.

    Manager said that as far as he was concerned, the report was incomplete.

    Before Manager could continue, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, raised a point of Order to the effect that it was unparliamentary to input improper motive against any senator.

    Ekweremadu quoted relevant sections of the standing rule of the Senate to buttress his point.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, agreed and ruled Marafa out of order.

    Saraki asked Marafa to withdraw the “offensive” comments as well as to apologise to Nazif.

    Marafa reluctantly withdrew his comments but refused to apologize to Nazif.

    Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said that Marafa should not only withdraw his comments that the committee was comprised but also apologize to the committee chairman in his “own interest).

    Na’ Allah reminded Marafa that everything done in the chamber was being recorded.

    Marafa stood his ground and said that he was not prepared to apologize to anybody.

    It was anti-climax for the committee when Saraki put the question.

    The nomination of Mahmud was unanimously adopted by the senate.

    Saraki put the nomination to question for the second time.

    The result was a resounding ‘aye”

    The Senate President had no option than to rule that the “ayes had it”

    There was jubilation in the chamber as some senators rushed to Marafa to congratulate him for his tenacity in ensuring that the nomination of Mahmud was confirmed.

    The confirmation of the nomination of Mahmud as Resident Electoral Commissioner came after two rejections by the Senate.

    The nomination was earlier rejected on the basis of petition that he was from Sokoto State and not Zamfara State.

    Apart from Mahmud, the Senate also confirmed Mr. Monday Udo Tom from Akwa Ibom State and Attahiru Madami from Niger State as Resident Electoral commissioners.

    It also confirmed the nomination of Festus Okoye from Imo State as National Electoral Commissioner representing South East geo Political Zone.