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Tag: Dogara

  • Advocates of break-up ignorant of God’s purpose for Nigeria, says Dogara

    Advocates of break-up ignorant of God’s purpose for Nigeria, says Dogara

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has cautioned advocates of a divided Nigeria, saying they are ignorant of God’s plans for the country.

    According to the Speaker, who spoke at a church event in Abuja yesterday, the 1970 Civil War was enough to break-up the country.

    But, he said God had other plans and did now allow it to manifest.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, reads: “Those calling for dismemberment of Nigeria don’t know the plan of God for the country.

    “Nigeria is not a mistake because it was God, who created the country and He has good plans for her people.

    “Those who think Nigeria is a mistake, it may be because they don’t know the purpose. But if you want to know the purpose of a thing, you have to go back to the manual, and who puts the manual together? It’s the manufacturer. So, I would challenge them to go back to the manufacturer of Nigeria, who is God. So that we can get the manual for Nigeria.

    “If we were a mistake, maybe during the first civil war, this country would have disintegrated. But God decided to keep this country one and God has never made a mistake.”

    The Speaker argued that for the country to have survived the civil war means that there was a purpose for the nation, adding that “until the destiny of this nation is realised, nothing will happen to Nigeria”.

    Acknowledging that the nation is facing multifaceted challenges, the Speaker urged Nigerians not to relent in offering prayers for the country as, according to him, nothing is impossible with God, including Nigeria’s challenges.

    He said: “For our country, we will never cease to ask that prayers be made, especially collective prayers. We all know the benefits of collective prayers; it is said that whenever two or three of you come together and ask of anything, God will do it.

    “We know the challenges we face, they are quite enormous challenges, they are very difficult, but they are not insurmountable. With God on our side, we will surmount them, and the only way we can do that is when we have the benefit of the wisdom of God; wisdom means application of knowledge.”

  • Dogara queries CBN’s non-disclosure of interests in foreign reserves accounts

    Dogara queries CBN’s non-disclosure of interests in foreign reserves accounts

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara has queried the non-disclosure of the interest accrued on Nigeria’s foreign reserves accounts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    He lamented that in spite of spirited efforts by the parliament to know its state, it remains shrouded in secrecy.

    The Speaker, while receiving  a delegation from the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), led by its acting chairman, Mr Victor Muruako,  who paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the National Assembly, he said agencies such as the FRC should be in custody of such figures for dissemination to the public when necessary.

    On  December 15,  2015, the House had passed a resolution calling on the CBN to declare interests accruable to the foreign reserves accounts of the federation.

    Dogara said: “We earn interest on foreign reserves, like Botswana. Because they don’t have oil, it is the second highest revenue after resources earned from natural resources. You will see it as a budget item: interest earned from foreign reserves.

    In Nigeria, we have been asking the question, “are we earning or are we just running charity with it or just leave people to manage it? Are we capitalising the interest? What is the interest? Nobody has ever told us.

    “So which one is the government agency that you can run to and easily obtain this information? CBN, of course, is the one managing it.

  • Dogara inaugurates projects in Abia

    To mark his second anniversary as member of the House of Representatives (APGA, Aba North & South) Ossy Prestige came to Aba with Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, who promptly inaugurated some projects Prestige initiated. In response, His Highness Eze Isaac Ikonne, the Enyi 1 of Aba, bestowed on Dogara the “Omeudo (Peacemaker) 1 of Aba.

    Speaking at his palace, Eze Ikonne said that he and his cabinet decided to conferred the title on him because of his leadership qualities such as uniting all the lawmakers in the lower chamber regardless of their political affiliations.

    Eze Ikonne appealed to the speaker to assist the state governors and lawmakers from the Southeast to draw the attention of the federal government to the deplorable roads in the region in addition to addressing the plight of traditional rulers across the country.

    Dogara thanked the people of Aba North and South for the warm reception accorded to him, and the traditional ruler for honouring him with the chieftaincy title.

    Dogara described the lawmaker as one that has been able to distinguish himself in the service to the country and the constituents through his contribution at the floor of the house and the manner he has carried out his assignments.

    Dogara said, “Though he is coming to the National Assembly as a first timer, Ossy has been able to show himself worthy of representing the people of Aba North and South. He is a leader of an association of parliamentarians. Ossy is pregnant with ideas of projects he would deliver to the people. He has delivered some, but he has lots of projects to give birth to and he can achieve this through your (Aba North and South) support and prayers.”

    He used the opportunity to assure traditional rulers in the country that efforts were being made to ensure that they were given a constitutional role. He also urged Nigerians to support the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Prestige pleaded for more federal attention to some of the projects in the state.

    He said, “Though we are happy that Odukpani-Ikot Ekpene-Aba Road has finally been awarded by the federal government, we are uncomfortable with the contractor’s insistence on starting the construction from the Odukpani end of the road. We plead that the Honourable Speaker will assist us by ensuring that work starts from the Aba end of the road that requires urgent intervention or at best, from both ends of the road simultaneously.

    “The dehumanising condition of Port Harcourt Road, Aba; the supposed gateway into Aba City from the Port Harcourt international Airport has remained an eyesore and a sad commentary on the humanity of our past governments in the state. Though my Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has graciously pledged to undertake the reconstruction of the road, we still ask for the assistance of the federal government in that regard, considering the fact that the job is big and beyond the financial convenience of our state to handle alone.

    “My Speaker, all the roads as listed and mentioned above are within the works jurisdiction of the NDDC, which we (Abia) are part of. We therefore plead and believe that you will make it happen for us.”

  • Constitution amendment solution to restructuring, says Dogara

    Constitution amendment solution to restructuring, says Dogara

    The agitations for restructuring cannot be achieved without an amendment of the 1999 Constitution, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara has said.

    Dogara spoke as the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) endorsed the proposed 70-year retirement age in the constitution amendment in the Green Chamber. The congress, however, gave a caveat that it must go across board.

    The Speaker, who spoke yesterday at a public hearing organised by the House Ad hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution headed by the Deputy Speaker, Yusuff Lasun,  said aspirations of Nigerians for genuine changes in the constitution cannot be truncated by the National Assembly.

    He said: “Agitations for restructuring of the governance framework for Nigeria can only be done through alterations of the Constitution. I wish to say, that the House of Representatives and indeed the National Assembly is ready to do its part in terms of amending the constitution when consensus have been reached on any matter by stakeholders and Nigerian citizens.”

    Dogara, however said the constitution amendment by the 8th House of Representatives is in phases and that it is a continuous exercise as envisaged under Section 9 of the constitution.

    The hearing, among others, was to get stakeholders’ input into a bill, which is to alter the provisions of the constitution to effect some judicial reforms.

    The bill is titled: “A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to reflect the proposals initiated by the judiciary (HB858) and was presented to the House by Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen.

    It is said to be a consolidation of the recommendations requiring constitution alterations by heads of courts and judicial bodies.

    The Speaker said: “We note that the age limit for various offices currently contained in the constitution is the minimum not maximum. The wisdom of raising the minimum age for various offices should be appraised further to ensure that brilliant and exceptional persons are not shut out on grounds of age.”

    Dogara said the various recommendations are geared towards reducing the time for litigation in courts, adding that every effort should be made to adopt and reflect them in the final amendments.

    Other bills considered by the committee were a Bill for an Act to alter Section 291 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to provide for uniform mandatory retirement age of 70 years for judicial officers.

    And also a bill seeking to alter Sections 243 and 254f of the Constitution to provide that except otherwise stated in the Constitution, appeal shall lie from the decisions of the National Industrial Court to the Court of Appeal; and to remove the repealed Criminal Procedure Code and the repealed Criminal Procedure Act so that the current Act, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, shall apply to Criminal Proceedings in the court.

    The Speaker argued that the amendments sought with respect to the National Industrial Court is very critical as the 3rd Alteration Act apparently created ambiguities in the law that has tasked the ingenuity of lawyers and the courts over the years since it was introduced.

    He urged stakeholders to also ensure that the purpose of entrenching the NIC as a superior court of record with exclusive jurisdiction on labour-related matters is not defeated so that the country won’t return to the days of uncertainty on labour matters.

    The Nigeria Judicial Council and the NLC also gave submissions at the hearing.

    The NJC, in its presentation by Justice Chima Nweze who represented the Chief Justice of Nigeria, said it is seeking the alteration of certain sections of the Constitution, including 84(3), 230, 231, 233, 234, 236, 237, 238, Subsection 2a of 241, alteration of 244, insertion of a new section in 246 and alteration of 247, 249, 250 and 251 and others.

  • Dogara to state legislatures: endorse financial autonomy for councils

    Dogara to state legislatures: endorse financial autonomy for councils

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has urged state legislatures to support financial autonomy for local government administration as a panacea for the growing level of discontentment and disenchantment of the citizenry.

    He warned that Nigerians must not waste the opportunity of the constitution amendment exercise that affords lawmakers the opportunity to improve on governance from the grassroots to the top.

    Dogara spoke yesterday in Abuja at a consultative meeting for building consensus among the Conference of Speakers, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and leaders of thought on local government and State Houses of Assembly autonomy.

    He said: ”The amendment exercise could not have come at a better time than now that there is a loud and deafening call across the nation for restructuring and deepening our democratic systems and processes.

    “As leaders, we must use every opportunity to find ways of strengthening Nigeria’s unity through effective governance and delivery of public goods and services that will lead to an improvement in the livelihoods of the average Nigerian.

    “If we can make the local government system work effectively, most of the discontentment and disenchantment among the rural population and the generality of Nigerians will be greatly reduced.

    “The constitution amendment process provides an opportunity for the National Assembly in collaboration with the state legislatures to enhance our governance architecture, strengthen our democratic institutions, entrench equity and social justice in our polity and most importantly, put Nigeria on the part of greatness that Nigerians crave for.”

    According to Dogara, the last aborted constitution review exercise in the 7th Assembly, all the State Houses of Assembly voted to support autonomy for the State Houses of Assembly, having learnt from the bitter experience of the 2nd Alteration Bill, where the State Houses of Assembly on their own turned down autonomy for State Houses of Assembly.

    He, however, reiterated  his position that financial autonomy for local governments and state House of Assembly will bring good governance and dividends of democracy to the states and rural areas.

    “Indeed, financial autonomy for the state legislatures is one of the most important ingredients for good governance at the state level,” he added.

    Advocating  for continuous dialogue and consensus-building in democratic governance, Dogara noted that it provides a platform for thorny and divergent views to be discussed, harmonised and addressed amicably.

  • Dogara, Reps shun Senate’s battle with presidency

    Dogara, Reps shun Senate’s battle with presidency

    • ‘We prefer issues to ego fight’ says principal officer
    • Senate hits roadblock as constitution has no provision for impeachment of Acting President

    The House of Representatives and its leadership are not keen in joining the Senate in the ongoing standoff between the Red Chambers of the National Assembly and the Presidency, The Nation gathered yesterday.

    The Senate is locked in a battle of wits with the executive after refusing, on Tuesday, to consider the nomination of Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila as Director General of the National Lottery Commission (NLC), and its insistence on the removal of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, whose confirmation it had earlier rejected.

    The Senate passed a resolution blocking further consideration and confirmation of   appointments referred to it by the Buhari administration until further notice.

    At a point during the debate, some senators launched a move to make Senate President Bukola Saraki acting president of the country.

    The move however failed with many Nigerians deploring the action of the Senators as out of order and an affront on the citizens.

    Besides, an alleged plot by the Senate to impeach Acting President Yemi Osinbajo seems to have hit a dead end following the realisation that the 1999 constitution makes no provision for the impeachment of an Acting President.

    Highly placed sources in the House of Representatives said yesterday that its members were no less shocked as other Nigerians by the action of the Senators.

    The sources said Reps were not on the same page with the Senate in the battle with the presidency.

    Speaker Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers are said to have resolved to stay away from what one of the sources described as an ego fight by the Senate.

    Some members of the House consider some matters raised on the floor of the Senate as “too personal.”

    A principal officer of the House said: “We are not on the same page with the Senate on what we see as an ego fight. The Speaker and his team have decided not to join the battle between the Senate and the presidency.

    “We actually met and opted out of the fray because it has degenerated to ego politics, especially on the issue of confirmation of nominees from the Executive.

    “We believe that there are issues which should be left to the court to decide in line with the principle of separation of powers.

    “We do not want Nigerians to look at us as if we are fighting for the sake of power and ego.’’

    The source said the Reps would rather join issues with the Executive if it fails to implement the budget or other state matters that have direct impact on Nigerians.

    “We will tackle the Executive on roads, employment, affordable health care, good education, and basic needs for the citizenry,’’ he said.

    “The way the ego fight is going, Nigerians are beginning to cast aspersions on members of the National Assembly. We are being misunderstood by Nigerians; they are getting agitated against us. Yet, we are really working hard but the backlash of the resentment of the public against the Senate is also affecting members of the House.”

    Another ranking member of the House said: “Some of us are disturbed that certain issues in the Senate are getting personal. For instance, it was too early for the Senate to take a decision on the recall process against a Senator.

    “If a Senator has a problem with his constituents, let him go and resolve it. How did the motion on the floor put the food on the table of Nigerians?

    “In some instances, some Senators use derogatory words in the chamber against the Executive. We cannot follow such a legislative action.”

    It was learnt that a similar move against the Executive, especially the Acting President, was to be made on the floor of the House last Tuesday but it did not work out.

    “I think Dogara prefers engagement with the presidency to confrontation. This approach has made the Villa to be at home with him. He has an exceptional maturity to issues,’’ another source said.

    “And the presidency has been consulting Dogara constantly on grey areas or points of disagreement,” the source, a Rep from the South-South added.

    A respected member from the South-East said: “Some of us have really met with the Speaker and we discovered that we share the same vision not to join the personal war between some Senators and the presidency.

    “Some of those bankrolling this conspiracy against the presidency have skeletons in their cupboards. Some of them feel bigger than the Senate having controlled much money at the state level before.

    “We told some Senators to keep off the House because we won’t support any plot against the presidency.”

    Investigation in Abuja revealed last night that the Senate might have hit a roadblock following discovery that there is no provision in the 1999 Constitution for the impeachment of an Acting President.

    The National Assembly can only remove a sitting President or Vice President based on Section 143 of the constitution.

    A top source said: “The Senators plotting the removal of the Acting President are not even aware that they cannot remove an Acting President. If they are after Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, they should wait till he reverts to his position as the Vice President.

    ‘’The only option the Senators have now is to serve an impeachment notice on President Muhammadu Buhari, which will be suicidal.

    “This is why the Senators must be circumspect or else they will plunge the nation into crisis.

    “Even northerners backing the subtle impeachment agenda should appreciate the fact that President Buhari is actually the ultimate target of all the threats from the Senate.

    “Let them go through Section 143 before going ahead with their impeachment plot of which kite was flown on Tuesday.”

    Following the   negative reactions to the Tuesday drama in the Senate, its President, Dr. Saraki on Thursday night held a secret meeting with Acting President Osinbajo.

    The meeting was also preceded by a visit to the Acting President by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who said he has advised the Senate leadership to prevail on Senators to lie low in order not to plunge the nation into crisis.

    Sources said Saraki met with Osinbajo on “some developments in the Senate during the week, including the suspension of the consideration of further nominations by the Executive in protest against the retention of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, and the impeachment threats by some Senators.

    Section 143 says: “The President or Vice President may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section.

    “Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one-third of the members of the National Assembly is (a) presented to the President of the Senate (b) stating that the holder of the office of President or Vice President is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified.

    “The president of the Senate shall within seven days of the receipt of the notice cause a copy thereof to be served on the holder of the office and on each member of the National Assembly, and shall also cause any statement made in reply to the allegation by the holder of the office to be served on each member of the National Assembly.”

     

  • Dogara decries deployment of military to states for peace maintenance

    Dogara decries deployment of military to states for peace maintenance

    •’Funds released to security agencies must be accounted for’ 

    The House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has described the presence of the military in about 28 states as worrisome.

    He said the military have taken over the job of the police saddled with the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the said states, thereby going outside their constitutional responsibilities of protecting the country’s territorial integrity.

    Dogara spoke in Abuja yesterday at a workshop on security wherehe also promised to ensure that the huge budgetary allocations to the security agencies are accounted for.

    In a statement by Turaki Hassan, his Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, the Speaker regretted that the deployment of the Armed Forces to more than 28 states in peacetime, amounted to Nigeria being effectively and permanently in a state of emergency.

    Dogara explained that in line with parliamentary best practices, the House has constituted Standing Committees specially mandated to oversight agencies in the security sector.

    “He enumerated the security related Committees to  include the House Committee on Defence, House Committees on Army, Navy, AirForce and House Committees on Police and also National Intelligence.”

     

  • Suntai was passionate about his people – Dogara

    Suntai was passionate about his people – Dogara

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Wednesday described late former governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Danfulani Suntai, as a leader that had the interest of his people at heart.

    Dogara, who described the ex- governor’s death in the early hours of Wednesday, as particularly painful, said the deceased was a dedicated and purpose driven leader, who had left indelible footprints on the development landscape of Taraba.

    He said: “I received the news of the death of former governor Suntai with a deep feeling of sadness. But God is the author of life, from Him we came and to Him we will return.

    “To the government and people of Taraba State, I extend my heartfelt condolences, and to his immediate family members who are the ones who will feel the pain more deeply. I pray God comforts you and gives you the fortitude to bear the loss.”

     

  • We must condemn hate speeches – Osinbajo

    We must condemn hate speeches – Osinbajo

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday urged leaders across the country to speak out against hate speeches and divisive comments.

    He made the call during opening session of a meeting with leaders of thoughts from the South East, at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    Noting that the meeting was very urgent and crucial because of the current hate speeches and divisive comments across the country, the acting President said the situation requires urgent attention from all concerned.

    He stressed that it is not the time to hide under any ethnic or religious platform to support comments that divide rather than unite the nation.

    Osinbajo urged leaders to raise their voices against the present strident divisive speeches in the country, saying “violence pays no one.”

    “Violence and war are not going to do anyone any good. Wars today hardly end. No one who has seen the face of wars even on television will wish it for anyone. We should not tolerate hate speeches or divisive comments,” he said.

    He reiterated Federal Government’s resolve to deal with any trouble maker who threatens the peaceful coexistence of Nigeria.

    The acting President added: “There is no doubt on the resolve of government not to allow anyone get away with hate speeches and divisive words. Our emotion should not be allowed to run wide so as to threaten the existence of anyone anywhere in Nigeria.

    “We will do everything within our power to protect the lives of every citizen anywhere and in any part of the country.”

    While thanking the leaders for their prompt response to the consultative meeting, Osinbajo said he expects fruitful and frank deliberations at the meeting.

    Those at the meeting were – Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, some state governors –  Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Willie Obiano (Anambra), and Rochas Okorocha (Imo).

    Others are – the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and other top government officials.

    Former Senate President, Ken Namani; Senator Eyinaya Abaribe, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Senator Joy Emodi, Prof. Viola Nwuleri.

     

     

  • Whistleblower bill vital to anti-graft war – Dogara

    Whistleblower bill vital to anti-graft war – Dogara

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday said the Bill for an Act to protect whistleblowers was a vital tool for the country’s anti-corruption war.

    Dogara stated this at a workshop organised for the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes and members of the civil society on the Whistle Blowers Bill held in Abuja.

    The bill, he added, would greatly enhance disclosure of information on corrupt persons when passed by the National Assembly.

    He said the bill would help to uncover private collaborators who connived with corrupt public servants while providing adequate safeguards against victimisation of the person making such complaints.

    The speaker said the bill, when passed, would make more information available for investigation of alleged corruption and misuse of power by public servants.

    He stressed the need for Nigeria to have a law that protects whistleblowers.

    The Speaker said, “What we have is the Federal Ministry of Finance’s whistle-blowing programme, which is designed to encourage anyone with information about a violation of financial regulations to report.

    “This has not yet been backed by any legal framework, and therefore, not legally enforceable.”

    He also said the burden of corruption in Nigeria was a peculiar one that inhibited its economic and social development.

    NAN