The Nation Newspaper

Tag: House of Representatives

  • Buhari to declare N/Assembly seminar on corruption open

    Buhari to declare N/Assembly seminar on corruption open

    President Muhammadu Buhari, will Tuesday declare open a two day seminar aimed at formulating a legislative framework for the anti-corruption fight in the country, the Senate said Monday.

    The seminar being organised by the Senate and House of Representatives committees on Anti-Corruption, has as its theme: “The role of the legislature in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.”

    A statement by the Special Assistant to Senate President on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, said that Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara will co-host the anti-corruption seminar.

    It said that Senate Committee Chairman on Anti-corruption, Senator Chukwuma Utazi, explained that “the seminar is to give legal strength to the anti-corruption fight of the present administration and to create legislative synergy for the anti-corruption fight”.

    “The seminar is aimed at making good the promise of the National Assembly that we are on the same page with the President Buhari led administration and in line with the legislative agenda, that there is a synergy between the National Assembly and the Presidency in the fight against corruption.

    “It is to reaffirm the point that you cannot clap with one hand. It is our way of saying that there must be a legislative strength to back the anti-corruption stance of the present administration”, Utazi said.

    The keynote address of the seminar, it said, will be delivered by Prof. P. L. O. Lumumba, Director General of the Kenyan Law School who is also an international scholar on the issues of corruption.

     

  • Reps to probe Buhari’s appointments

    Reps to probe Buhari’s appointments

    The House of Representatives is set to investigate all appointments into Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) since the inception of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The lawmakers said the investigation became necessary due to public outcry over apparent lopsidedness and imbalance in recent appointments and sharing of posts into public offices by the federal government and some of its agencies in favour of certain zones.

    Consequently, House Committee on Federal Character has been mandated to carry out a comprehensive overview of all Federal government appointments/recruitments during this dispensation.

    The Committee that was given four weeks to carry out the assignment would ascertain level of compliance or otherwise of the MDAs with Section 14 (3) of the Constitution.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), who noted that the failure of the Federal government to comply with the federal character principles in appointments/recruitments into public offices and government agencies has negatively affected the country.

    “The concern and commentaries in the recent time about an apparent lopsidedness and imbalance in appointments and sharing of posts into public offices by the federal government and some of its agencies in favour of certain zones.

    “This negates Section14 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended that ‘The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice’.

    “Section 14 (3) of the Constitution also made it clear  that ‘The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies’.

    “It was towards the realisation of the above objectives that the Federal Character Commission (FCC) was established under the Federal Character Commission (Establishment, etc) Act, 2004, with responsibility to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the principles of the proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic and political posts at all levels of government.

    “It is however worrisome that the Federal Government and the Federal Character Commission (FCC) have not lived up to the above mandate as there exists numerous cases of lopsidedness and imbalance in appointments and sharing of posts/offices, including the recent recruitments by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) appointments into boards and parastatals and more recently the nomination of Ambassadors, to mention but a few.

    “Unless urgent and positive steps are taken to check the prevailing imbalance in the appointments and sharing of Federal Government posts, people would continue to be discontented and despondent, and this could lead to dis-unity and disloyalty, and heighten ethnic agitations and national insecurity”.

    Also in its resolution, the House urged the Federal Government to comply with the Federal Character Principles in Section 14 (3) of the Constitution in all appointments/recruitments into public offices in the country.

    The motion was unanimously adopted when it was put to voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.

     

  • Reps condemn FERMA over unpaid Contractors’ bills

    Reps condemn FERMA over unpaid Contractors’ bills

    The House of Representatives has expressed disappointment over the refusal of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to paid its contractors for 2015 projects.

    The Committee said there was no tenable reason for FERMA not to pay over N1b it owes its contractors for 2015 completed projects because provision had been made for it.

    Speaking at FERMA’s 2016 budget performance session on Tuesday, chairman of the Committee, Jerry Alagboso said the Committee’s intervention became necessary because of complaints from contractors.

    Alagboso however queried the rationale behind non-payment of the contractors when it was confirmed to the Committee that funds were made available to offset the 2015 debt.

    “When the contractors complained of not being paid having completed their road maintenance contracts since 2015, we had to intervene and requested to see the Minister on how to offset the debt.

    “The Minister asked for the list of the projects which we believed was provided. Now, money has been released, yet the contractors have not been paid, whereas we have been informed that the money had been used to pay the contractors.”

    Earlier in his presentation, FERMA’s acting Managing Director, Engr. Peter O. Ibu said though the agency was set for the second phase of its project procurement for 2016, lack of funds has made it impossible to execute any for the year.

    While he disclosed that N10b was released to the agency a day before the budget session, the acting MD said the agency had specific instictions on how the released fund should be spent.

    He said there was no way the fund would have been used to offset the 2015 debt.

    He said: “There is no correlation between the released money and the 2015 debt. We sent a list of all projects to the Ministry and 2015 was part of it but payment was tied to specific projects carried out in 2016.

    “We have a letter that the money must be paid with what was released in 2016”.

    He expressed concern over the new budget preparation format that made it difficult for the agency to make interventions without having to flout procurement laws.

    “Before now, we used to have a single line item for overhead which makes it possible for us to make quick interventions for some road maintenance but it is no longer so,” he added.

    While the Committee insisted on when and how the contractors would be paid, the acting Chairman assured that some of the debts would be attended to from the N10b release made to the agency.

  • Reps to FG: Declare state of emergency on Kidnapping

    Reps to FG: Declare state of emergency on Kidnapping

    The House of Representatives Wednesday urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on Kidnapping in the country.

    According to the Green Chamber, the Federal Government “should urgently convene a security summit that will include all security agencies, all GSM service providers, the House committees on National Intelligence, Army, Airforce, Navy, Police and Communication to fashion an effective response to the kidnapping phenomenon.”

    The lawmakers also advised the Federal Government to make provisions for the purchase of sophisticated equipment especially those used for tracking in the 2017 budget in order to militate against kidnappers.

    The resolution of the House which was passed unanimously by the members was sequel to a motion sponsored under Matters of Urgent National Importance by a member Hon.  Babatunde Gabriel Kolawole (APC Ondo State)

    Kolawole while  moving the motion, noted that  in the last ten years, the incidence of Kidnapping for ransom in the country has escalated to a very disturbing level and has reached a point where no one is safe anymore.

    The lawmaker noted that NYA International, a London-based firm that gathers intelligence on crime reports that in the first half of 2013, alone, Nigeria had the most kidnap attempts in the world, accounting for 26% of all such recorded incidents, followed by Mexico with 10%, and Pakistan with 7%.

    ” As at 2014, Nigeria was number 5 on the global kidnapping hotspots.,” he said

    Kolawole gave the list of prominent people kidnapped in the past to include amongst others include: “Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s foster father, 72-year-old Inengite Nitabai, Kaduna State House of Assembly member, Ibrahim Ismail, Margaret Emefiele, wife of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Former Minister of Environment Laurencia Mallam and her husband Pius Mallam , House of Representatives member from Katsina, Hon Sani Bello Mashi,

    Others, he said included  Mike Ozekhome, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey and his wife, Mrs. Kamene Okonjo, Mother of Former Finance Minister, Chief Olu Falae and that “thousands of other unreported cases of kidnapping had occurred because of people’s distrust of the Police and the believe they’re in partnership with kidnappers.”

    The lawmaker said “some victims are deliberately executed when ransom is not forthcoming or security agents move in, while some are killed even after ransom has been paid, making kidnapping the new face of terrorism.

    “Presently, school children are no longer safe as the shown by the kidnapping 3 female students from Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu, Lagos State on Monday February 29th this year; and also two principals and students of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla,  Épe, Lagos who were kidnapped early hours of Thursday October 6, 2016.”

    Kolawole expressed concern that Nigeria is now seen as the Kidnap capital of the world having risen from 475 reported cases in 2011, 500 in 2012 to presently over 1, 500 cases annually.

    “These records no doubt affect the tourism and investment potentials of Nigeria which is trying to diversify its revenue base as some countries issue constant travel warnings to their citizens about Nigeria.

    Members who supported the motion include, the Deputy leader, Buba Jibrin, Minority Leader, Leo Ogor,  Chief whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Orker Jev, Chairman House Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Jagaba Adams Jagaba, Diri Douye, Tope Olayonu amongst others.

    In order to ensure compliance, the House mandated its Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance and report back to the House within three weeks.

  • House Ethics panel clears members of sexual misconduct

    House Ethics panel clears members of sexual misconduct

    Three members of the House of Representatives accused of sexual misconduct by the United States authorities have no case to answer, the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges has said.

    The Committee’s report submitted Tuesday clears Hon. Mohammed Gololo (APC-Bauchi), Hon. Mark Gbillah (APC-Benue) and Hon. Samuel Ikom (PDP-Akwa Ibom) of allegations of sexual misconduct.

    Former U.S. Ambassador James Entwistle, accused the lawmakers of sexually assaulting a house keeper and soliciting for sex while attending the International visitors Leadership Programme in Cleveland, Ohio, United States.

    `That Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo, Hon. Mark Gbillah and Hon. Samuel Ikon are cleared of and exonerated from the allegations leveled against them by the US Ambassador to Nigeria in his June 9, 2016 letter to Speaker for want of evidence.

    “That In the light of the foregoing, the Minister of Foreign Affairs do engage with the US Ambassador to Nigeria with a view to finding a seamless resolution of the domestic fall out of this unfortunate incident as it relates to Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo, Hon. Mark Gbillah and Hon. Samuel Ikon

    ” That the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do write to remind the US Embassy of the need to always adopt the official channel of communications in its dealing with any organ or institution of government,” the report reads

    The incident allegedly occurred in a hotel between April 7 and April 13. The programme was attended by 10 lawmakers.

  • Reps to investigate arrest of Judges

    Reps to investigate arrest of Judges

    The House of Representatives Tuesday resolved to investigate the arrest of judges by the Department of State Security (DSS).

    The resolution of the House was sequel to a motion moved under Matters of Urgent National Importance by a member, Kingsley Chinda ( PDP, Rivers State).

    Chinda said though corrupt people should not be shielded and bribe taking and misconduct should not be condoned in any form, all actions taken to prevent financial crime most be carried out with reference to the rule of Law.

    His words: “We can’t talk about democracy and civil rule without observing the Rule of Law”, he said, adding that the provisions of Sections 153 (1) I and Part 1 of the Third Scheduled the 1999 Constitution established the National Judicial Council (NJC) with the authority to regulate and discipline judicial officers.

    Chinda cited Sections 2, 3 and 6 of the National Agencies Act 1986 saying it precludes the DSS from handling cases of corruption and abuse of office.

    He criticized what he described as a growing trend by which the DSS went beyond its constitutionally dictated role by conducting raids in the Akwa-Ibom State government house, the  Ekiti State and Zamfara State  Houses of Assembly.

    He urged the House to question the constitutional provision from which the DSS drew powers to delve into allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled against the judges.

    The motion however, did not go down well with a member, Mojeed Alabi (APC Osun) who interrupted by raising a point of order under matters of privilege. According to Alabi, Section 4,5,6 of the constitution guarantees separation of powers and that the matter shpuld not have been brought before the House.

    But supporters of the motion shouted him down, calling on his to sit down. Alabi’s efforts to get protection from the Speaker, Yakubu Digara even was turned down.

    Speaker said: “Hon. Mojeed I cannot protect you. If you disagree with it you have to come by way of a substantive motion.

    Alabi insisted that his privilege as a member had been infringed by the consideration of a motion on a matter which he said was beyond the powers of the House.

    But Dogara saiid the motion only seeks to call for an investigation ion where the DSS got the power to raid the homes of the judges as part of investigations into alleged corruption. He thereafter ruled that the motion be heard.

    Chinda maintained that though corruption, bribe taking and misconduct should not be condoned in any form, all actions taken to prevent financial crime must be carried out with reference to the Rule of Law.

    “We can’t talk about democracy and civil rule without observing the Rule of Law”, he said, adding that the provisions of Sections 153 (1) I and Part 1 of the Third Scheduled of the 1999 Constitution established the National Judicial Council (NJC) with the authority to regulate and discipline judicial officers.

    He cited Sections 2, 3 and 6 of the National Agencies Act 1986 which he said precludes the DSS from handling cases of corruption and abuse of office, and criticised what he described as a growing trend in which the DSS went beyond its constitutionally dictated role  by conducting raids in the Akwa-Ibom State government house, the  Ekiti State and Zamfara State  Houses of Assembly.

    The motion was passed when put up for a voice vote by Speaker Dogara with the proviso that it be referred to an Adhoc Committee which is to also investigate all cases of invasion of property and arrest of persons for reasons outside the general duties of the DSS as prescribed by the National Securities Act.

    The committee is to report within six weeks back to the House.

  • House suspension: Court to hear Jibrin’s suit October 21

    House suspension: Court to hear Jibrin’s suit October 21

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 21 for hearing of the suit by suspended former Chairman, Appropriation Committee, House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin.

    Jibrin, from Kano State, is, with the suit, challenging his suspension from the House. A committee of the House of Reps. On October 28 suspended him for 180 legislative days.

    His lawyer, Abdulhamid Muhammed told the court Friday that the House elected to suspend his client in spite of the pendency of his suit filed August 9, 2016 with which he had originally, sought to restrain the House of Rep leadership from proceeding with the plan to suspend him.

    The case which could not be heard during the court’s vacation by Justice Okon Abang, has since been assigned to Justice John Tsoho.

    Muhammed said, by suspending his client, the House has “over-reached” his client’s motion filed before the court for orders of interim injunction restraining the House from carrying out the suspension.

    He proceeded to withdraw his client’s fundamental rights enforcement application on the grounds that it was overtaken by events.

    Justice Tsoho said since the court’s business Friday was for the mention of the case, it was safer to adjourn to a later date for the hearing of all pending motions.

    Besides the processes filed by Jibrin, other motions awaiting the court’s hearing is the preliminary objection by the defendants challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.

    Defendants’ lawyer,  Kalu Onuoha said he was confortable with the court’s position.

    Defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/595/2016 are:The House of Representatives, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Yusuf Lasun, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Leo Ogor, Herman Hembe, Umar Mohammed Bago, Zakari Mohammed, Chike Okafor, Dan Asuquo, Jagaba Adms, Haliru Jika and Uzoma Abonta.

    Jibrin, in the substantive suit, seeks among others, a declaration that the defendants are bound to comply with the provisions of sections 49, 54, 56 and 60 of the 1999 Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House of Reps, regulating its sitting, procedure and other matters in the conduct of its legislative functions as provided in the Constitution and the Standing Orders made pursuant to the Constitution.

    He also wants the court to declaration that the decision taken by the defendants at a meeting held on August 3, 2016 to suspend the plaintiff as a member of the House of Reps without granting him the right to fair hearing is unlawful.

  • Jibrin warns Reps over N10m running cost allowance

    Jibrin warns Reps over N10m running cost allowance

    The suspended former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin  Jibrin seems not discouraged in his new anti- corruption crusade against the House of Representatives.

    In a letter dated September 29, 2016 titled: ” burden of proof of evidence: running cost of honourable members of the House of Representatives,”  the lawmaker asked his colleagues to return a total of N10 million running cost allowance given to each member

    His letter made available to reporters Thursday reads in part: “I wish to draw your attention to the fact that since you suspended me yesterday and the suggestion of the Ethics Committee report that my allegations were generalized and without proof, I have come under intense public scrutiny and pressure to prove that there exists systemic corruption in the House.

    “I have taken it as a responsibility to prove to the public that the House is a den of systemic corruption. As colleagues, I have bound with many of you and built a life-long friendship.

    “I have some of you that I hold in high esteem. If you end up at the receiving end of the actions I will be taking up in the next few days, I want you to know there is nothing personal but commitment and fervent desire to ensure that corruption is wiped out of the House and reforms that will restore the battered image of the House and take back the House to the Nigerian people is implemented.

    “Consequent upon the above and before I proceed with the aggressive steps I intend to take, I hereby demand that if you have illegally taken or stolen any money meant for the running cost of your offices for your entire stay in the House.

    “You should return the money within one week to the Clerk of the National Assembly. And for the purpose of clarity. I am referring to about N10 million you collect from tax payers monthly.

    “The Clerk will provide you with official accounts details, failure of which I will take necessary action to ensure that you return any money stolen and stand witness against you in case of prosecution.

    “I have written to the Clerk of the National Assembly to stand by in anticipation. In the face of the revenue challenges and biting hardship the country is currently facing, there is no better time the country needs such money than now.

    “In the case of the Presiding and Principal Officers, in addition to my demand in this letter which applies to them too, I have written them yesterday and gave them 72 hours ultimatum to make public the total amount they have received as running cost in their entire stay in the House, failure of which I will proceed with necessary legal action to compel them to make the total amount each of them have received public.

    “There are other issues of monumental corruption in the House that I will be raising in the following weeks which we must all deal with, but first let’s get done with this one.”

    Jibrin was suspended for 180 legislative days over alleged misconduct and breach of the privileges of the members of the House.

    His office was consequently sealed Thursday by National Assembly security agents.

  • NASS management seals Jibrin’s office

    NASS management seals Jibrin’s office

    The House of Representatives on Thursday sealed the office of the suspended former Chairman of Appropriations Committee, Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC-Kano).

    The Sergeant-at-Arms team and police supervised the sealing of the office, Room 1.05 located at the new building wing of the complex.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some  legislative staff working with Jibrin evacuated some of their personal belongings and documents before the office was closed

    The ejection exercise was sequel to the resolution passed by the House during Wednesday plenary session on the recommendations of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, chaired by Rep. Nicholas Ossai (PDP-Delta).

    In adopting the report and recommendations of the Committee, the House resolved to suspend Jibrin for 180 legislative days.

    The sanction also barred Jibrin from holding any position in the House during the period till the end of the 8th Assembly.

    Briefing newsmen shortly after, the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa) said that the House had not received any court papers regarding the suspension.

    Namdas said: “while the suspended lawmaker has a right to go to court, there is a clear separation of powers between the three arms of government’’.

    “The House is empowered by the constitution to have its own rules.

    “Jibrin breached the collective privileges of members with his blanket statements that the House is corrupt in its public hearings, investigations and oversight functions.

    “The House has rules and if anyone errs, there are certain sanctions which are applied. What we have done is within our rules.

    “There is no petition from Jibrin against any member before the Ethics Committee and we cannot investigate based on newspaper publications.

    “He made allegations which he could not substantiate.’’

     

  • Reps condemn N4.3b budget for military uniforms

    Reps condemn N4.3b budget for military uniforms

    The House of Representatives has condemned the procurement of military and paramilitary gears by foreign manufacturers and in foreign denominated currencies.

    The lawmakers said the practice has been economically and technologically detrimental to the socio-economic and technological growth of the country.

    Consequently, the House has mandated its Committees on Defence and Industries to ensure that the uniforms and other wearing apparels of the Nigerian Army (NA), Nigerian Navy (NN), the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Nigerians Customs Service (NCS), the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and all paramilitary services are produced and procured locally.

    Furthermore, the Bank of Industries (BoI) was mandated to assist garment, shoes and other wearing apparel manufacturers in procurement of modern machines and soft loans to assist in producing shoes, garments and other wearing apparels.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Ossy Prestige (APGA, Abia), who wondered how beneficial is the procurement of the military gears in foreign currencies and from foreign manufacturers to the country.

    He cited what such procurements would cost the country in 2016 that amounted to  N4.3b with proposed expenditure in the budget for the supply of uniforms for the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Airforce budgeted at N2 billion, N64.329 million and N12.430 million respectively.

    He also said the same procurement cost the nation $8.1m in 2015.

    “One can observe that this practice of importing military and paramilitary uniforms is in sharp contrast with what is obtainable in other countries of the world (both developed and developing countries), who produce and manufacture uniforms and sundry wearing apparels for their military and paramilitary personnel”, he said.

    According to him, the best tool with which to the country can salvage its crashing economy is indigenous market patronage and foreign exchange conservation

    The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

    Similarly, the House has asked the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to suspend the planned hike in tolls at its airports.

    Following the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Rotimi Agunsoye (APC, Lagos), who said the timing of the 100 percent increments was wrong,”At a time when a vast majority of Nigerians are groaning under the painful bite of financial incapacities stemming from the recently proclaimed economic recession,” he added.

    The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.