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Tag: Kabiru Marafa

  • Buhari meets Anyim, Uduaghan, Marafa in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, former Governor of Delta State and senatorial candidate in the 2019 election, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan at the State House Abuja.

    Also meeting with the President after the Friday jumat service at the State House mosque is Senator Kabiru Marafa who is a governorship aspirant in Zamfara State.

    The three came separately and were still at the President’s office at the time of filing this report.

     

    Details Later…

  • Senator accuses panel of taking bribe to stop Buhari’s INEC nominee

    THERE was a drama yesterday in the Senate over allegation of bribe-taking to reject a nominee for Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) position.

    Trouble started during 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 its report for the consideration of the Senate.

    Nazif said the committee recommended that the nominee from Zamfara State Ahmad Bello Mahmud should be rejected.

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

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

    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.”

    The Zamfara Central senator said the state governor, Abdul Azeeze Yari, was behind the attempt to deny the nominee his 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 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 un-parliamentary 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 apologise to Nazif.

    Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah said Marafa should not only withdraw his comments that the committee was comprised but also apologise 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 apologise to anybody.

    When Saraki called for vote, the nomination of Mahmud was unanimously adopted.

    The Senate President 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.

    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 Southeast geo Political Zone.

  • Killings: Attempts to force emergency rule on Zamfara aborted in Senate

    Killings: Attempts to force emergency rule on Zamfara aborted in Senate

    Attempts to force a state of emergency in Zamfara State over the unabating killings in the state were yesterday aborted in the Senate.

    The Senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabiru Marafa, prayed the upper chamber to resolve to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the state as part of the measures to deal decisively with those behind the killings.

    Marafa who used unprinted words to described the handling of security in the state by the government insisted that those behind killings were known.

    Although Marafa argued the declaration of state of emergency in the state was the only way out of the worrisome situation, the motion was not seconded.

    Because the proposition was not seconded, it was dead on arrival

    Marafa again moved that the Senate should adopt a resolution calling on the state governor Abdulazizi Yari to stay in the state and do his work instead of always staying out the state.

    The motion was also not seconded.

    The Senate however agreed that its ad-hoc committee on security situation in the country should go to Zamfara to ascertain the extent of destruction of lives and property in the state.

    This followed a motion on the “Urgent need to look into the killings that took place in Zurmi L.G.A of Zamfara State” sponsored Senator. Tijjani Yahaya Kaura (Zamfara North)

    Kaura in his debate noted that cross border banditry has brought Nigeria’s frail security system to the lime light having triggered an orgy of violence in Zamfara State which left 39 people dead in Zurmi LGA on Wednesday 14th February 2018;

    He recalled that following a motion that I moved on the 23rd of November 2017 on the ” Urgent need to look into the killings and arson that took place in Shinkafi L.G.A of Zamfara State” as a result of which the Senate suspended plenary to discuss the deterioration of Internal Security in Nigeria, which led to the recently concluded Security summit;

    The lawmaker regretted that despite the notice and warnings to the Law enforcement agencies on the impending attack by the Zamfara State Government 24 hours before the attack no precaution was taken to avert the unfortunate event;

    He said that he is aware that Zamfara State Government has over the years taken a lot of measures to bring an end to the Menace including but not limited to providing logistics to security agencies as well as engaging the bandits on dialogue with a promise of laying down their arms to be reintegrated back into the society;

    He added that he also aware that the Federal Government since the last Shinkafi attack had deployed 1 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in the troubled area. In addition to the directives given by the President to security agencies to identify and bring the perpetrators to book;

    Kaura said that he is concerned that hundreds of lives have been lost to such attacks in the State over the last four years.

    He expressed worry that the latest attacks have caused fears across the State, especially around rural communities who have had similar experiences in the past and are helpless;

    He also express sadness that these security breaches are on the increase despite the huge resources being expended by the Federal and Zamfara State Governments,

    He prayed  the Senate to resolve  to urge the federal government to direct the Nigerian Air force to use air surveillance to identify the location of the armed bandits within the sparse forest and flush them out as well as urge the Federal Government to mount diplomatic pressure on Niger republic and Chad to forestall criminals from using their territories to launch attack on Nigeria.

    The two prayers were adopted.

     

  • Fuel queues must end in seven days, Senate insists

    Fuel queues must end in seven days, Senate insists

    The Senate yesterday insisted that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ), must within seven days, end long queues in fuel stations across the country.

    The resolution followed the unanimous adoption of an interim report of the joint committee on Petroleum Resources, on the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Kabiru Marafa, told the Senate in plenary that the joint committee recommended that NNPC be issued a seven day ultimatum to ensure the disappearance of queues from fuel stations across the country.

    The Zamfara Central lawmaker underscored the need for security agencies to ensure effective boarder patrol to check diversion of petroleum products to neighbouring African countries.

    He noted that the report also recommended that the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR) should double its efforts to enforce compliance with the government regulated pump price.

    Marafa said, “During the recess, the committee moved around some cities including Abuja and Lagos to ascertain the situation on ground. When we think that we are making progress, we just realised that the queues were resurfacing at the stations.

    “We also engaged with the NNPC and other stakeholders and we were informed that there were challenges of supply coupled with massive smuggling of petroleum products to neighbouring countries for higher prices. Also there is the problem of marketers selling above approved pump price.”

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, urged management of NNPC to ensure compliance with the resolution and ensure the disappearance of long queues within the next seven days.

  • End petrol scarcity queues in 7 days – Senate tells NNPC

    End petrol scarcity queues in 7 days – Senate tells NNPC

     The Senate on Thursday urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to, within seven days, end lingering scarcity of petrol and clear queues in filling stations across the country.

    This followed a unanimous adoption of report of the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) on the fuel crisis in the country, at plenary.

    In the report presented by its Chairman, Sen. Kabiru Marafa, the committee recommended that NNPC should be given seven days ultimatum to end long queues in fuel stations in the country.

    The committee stressed the need for security agencies to ensure effective border patrol to check diversion of petroleum products to neighbouring countries.

    It also recommended that the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR) should double efforts to enforce compliance with government’s regulated pump price of petroleum products.

    “During our recess, the committee moved around some cities, including Abuja and Lagos, to ascertain the situation on ground.

    “When we thought that we were making progress, we just realised that the queues were resurfacing in fuel stations.

    “We also engaged with the NNPC and other stakeholders and we were informed that there were challenges of supply coupled with massive smuggling of petroleum products to neighbouring countries for higher prices.

    “Also, there is the problem of marketers selling above approved pump price,’’ the report stated.
    In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, urged NNPC to ensure compliance with the resolution and endeavour to end the queues within seven days.

    NAN

  • End fuel queues in seven days, National Assembly orders NNPC

    End fuel queues in seven days, National Assembly orders NNPC

    A Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Petroleum Resources yesterday mandated the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) to end the lingering fuel scarcity and queues  at filling stations within seven days.

    The committee also asked the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies especially those at the borders to halt the alleged diversion of fuel tankers from Nigeria to neighbouring countries.

    Chairman Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa gave the ultimatum after a closed door meeting of members of the committee.

    The committee meeting was preceded by another meeting with the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Engr. Maikanti Baru and other top officials of the oil corporation.

    The lawmakers were said to have demanded explanations from the NNPC on why the fuel shortage had continued to linger with queues returning to major towns and cities across Nigeria.

    Marafa was said to have described the situation as embarrassing and acknowledged that though, NNPC made attempts to end the fuel shortage during the Christmas, the return of the queues in Lagos and Abuja was an indication that the problem was not completely over.

    Marafa was said to have insisted that “This situation has lingered for too long. Members of the public are suffering and when they are suffering, we cannot sit down, fold out hands and say all is well.

    “At a point, you told us the problem has been solved; we also saw that the fuel queues disappeared for some time, but unfortunately the queues have returned. You were even going from station to station monitoring the situation but you have not been able to resolve the issue once and for all.  In any situation, when your best is not good enough, it is very bad and most unfortunate.”

    He told the NNPC to address the committee on the reasons for the resurging long queues at various filling stations; what the NNPC had been doing to resolve the challenge and how long it would take before the queues could disappear completely 

    In a slide presentation, Baru attributed the situation to the on going repair  works on Apapa Wharf road  and the blockage of the road by some accidents vehicles, saying these created  challenges along the route and disrupted the free movement of fuel trucks from the fuel depots to other parts of Lagos.

    The NNPC boss also  blamed the current  fuel crisis on the breakdown of the Jebba/Mokwa road in Kwara State  as well as the crash-landing  of a vessel conveying  PMS along the Escravis/Warri/Oghara route. According to Baru, these two incidents also contributed to slowing down the pace of distribution of available petroleum products to different parts of the country.

    in addition, Baru disclosed that the NNPC was still bugged down by the challenges of product diversion and smuggling of same across the borders. According to him, the price of petrol in neighbouring countries such as Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin and Ghana were at least double the price of the product in Nigeria. He explained that this price differential has made the smuggling of the product very attractive.

    Baru however, said the NNPC will continue to tackle the  fuel shortage  by injecting an average of 60million litres of petrol into the market on a daily basis.

    In spite of these explanations, many members of the committee expressed dissatisfaction with the  situation, observing that the NNPC was still working around the symptoms of the fuel crisis and building all its solutions on fuel importation rather than making the nation’s refineries to work to ensure product availability all the year round.

    The committee therefore resolved that the NNPC must change the  narrative on the crisis and end  the queues in seven days without excuses.

  • Senator attacks Governor over opposition to REC  nomination

    Senator attacks Governor over opposition to REC  nomination

    The Senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabiru Marafa, yesterday attacked his state Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, over his opposition to the nomination and confirmation of a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) nominee, Ahmed Bello Mahmoud.

    Mahmoud, a former commissioner of Justice in Zamafara State, was nominated by President MuhaZamafara States as a REC.

     The nominee was referred to the Senate committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for legislative screening.

    The State Governor, Yari and the Senator representing Zamfara North,Tijjani Kaura heavily opposed the confirmation of the nominee on the claim that Mahmoud was not an indigene of Zamfara State.

     The Governor in a petition to the Senate claimed that Mahmoud hail from Sokoto State.

    Senator Kaura on the other hand, claimed that the nominee is from Kebbi State and should therefore not be confirmed to represent Zamfara State as a REC.

    Marafa took a swipe at Yari wondering why the Governor is bent on frustrating the confirmation of Mahmoud.

    Marafa further said that Governor Yari is not originally  from Zamfara State.

    Also read : Mining: Senate summons Fayemi

    He said that Yari’s parents are from Sokoto State.

    The Senator insisted that Mahmoud was born in Zamfara and had his primary, secondary and university education in the State.

    Mahmoud, Marafa added, served as Commissioner of Justice in the State and was the brain behind the establishment of Sharia Law in the state.

    Marafa prayed his colleagues to look beyond the petitions, which he described as baseless, and confirm the nominee.

    Marafa said: “Mr. President, in your wisdom I came with a motion for a passionate appeal to my colleagues to do justice for an innocent Nigerian who was nominated to represent Zamfara state in INEC as a resident electoral commissioner.

    “You directed that the matter back to the committee for further legislative action. I took that wise counsel from you that the committee will do the needful even when I know that there is nothing they can add to what they have done because their report was quite explicit and extensive.

  • Meningitis: Senator donates drugs to affected communities in Zamfara

    The Senator representing Zamfara Central in the Senate, Alhaji Kabiru Marafa has donated meningitis drugs, worth N3 million to the affected communities in his constituency.

    The donation was given through Zamfara Central Youths Forum and distributed to health centers in the affected communities on Wednesday in a ceremony at Shagari Primary Health Center in Gusau.

    The senator also donated 100 mattresses and 10 solar security lights to various health centres in the affected communities.

    Speaking during the distribution of the drugs, the Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello, commended the Senator for the donation and described the gesture as timely and a welcome development.

    Bello said that fighting the diseases was a collective responsibility that requiring everybody’s support.

    “We have to join hands in fighting the disease as it continues to ravage our communities. I am therefore calling on all stakeholders to intensify efforts in tackling the epidemic head on,” he said

    Bello also urged well-meaning individuals and political office holders to emulate the senator in coming to the aid of the victims of the outbreak.

    Earlier, the Chairman of Zamfara Central Youths Forum, Rufa’i Bala-UB, said the forum joined the vanguard with the aim of fighting meningitis in the state, to help combat the menace.

    Bala-UB said one of the activities of the forum was to offer humanitarian services on any emergency situation, such as disease or disaster outbreak.

    He commended the Senator for collaborating with the forum to fight the outbreak, adding that the forum was always ready to collaborate with individuals and organisations in area of humanitarian services.(NAN)

  • Impeaching Buhari is not a possibility –  Marafa

    Impeaching Buhari is not a possibility –  Marafa

    …Says Senate committee reshufflement part of APC reconciliatory move
    The new Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara) on Friday ruled out any possibility of the Senate impeaching President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to him, no serving senator is contemplating such impeachment.

    Media reports had last week claimed that there were moves to impeach the President.

    Marafa, who is the spokesman of the Senate Unity Forum Senators, said the report must be a heavy joke.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said: “In legislature, we crack a lot of joke. I will only describe that as heavy joke. Nobody is contemplating that. It is not a possibility and God’s willing it will not happen in this assembly.

    While noting that the reshufling of the Senate committees on Thursday was normal in parliamentary, he said that it was part of reconciliation between the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Senate.
    He said: “I think reschuffling of committees is not new in any parliament. What made that of yesterday a little new is the circumstances of the emergence of this leadership and what followed.

    “What happened yesterday is a result of the efforts the party has been putting in for reconciliation in the last few days,” he said.

    He also admitted that peace has returned to the Senate.

    “Yes, as long as the party comes in and the will of the party is respected. We are not at loggerhead with anybody. It is not like we hate somebody. The current Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has been one of my very close friend and senior in the 7th assembly. What you saw happened is what I will describe as loyalty to the party. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes only the party, it doesn’t recognize any individual.

    But he disclosed that it is the party that has the final say on whether to withdraw the cases in court.

    He said: “We didn’t go to court because we didn’t like the face of those that emerged, but this is the will of our party. During the 7th assembly, we accorded the ruling party at that time the utmost cooperation and we knew the committees that we were given that time.

    “But now, we are in power it is our own time and we should be accorded all the necessary cooperation. We should be seen to respect the party. If the party says withdraw the case, we will on to withdraw the case,” he said.

    Stressing that the relationship between executive and legislature at any level is like relationship of husband and wife, he was optimistic that the crisis between his state governor, Abdulaziz Yari and the State House of Assembly will soon be resolved.

    “So there is nothing knew as far as I’m concerned. We belong to the same political party and we are one. We are on top of the situation and we are trying to calm the nerves and look at the problem from its root. We will resolve the issues amicably. By our tradition and culture, Zamfara has never had that kind of problem.” He said

    According to him, the ongoing bombing of oil pipelines in the Niger Delta is more injurious to the region.

    He called on them to come to the table to resolve whatever grievances they have.

    On his visit to President Buhari, he said: “The President is the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the committee I was given yesterday relates to the Ministry. As my father and leader, I will not start anything without seeking for his blessings. He has prayed for me and I can face the assignment headon.””For the umpteenth time, the IYC call on the Aides and Advisers to President Buhari to properly advise him on how to solve the current hostilities in the Niger Delta region and equally display a determination to resolve the problem as his predecessors did.

    “Only a sincere and holistic dialogue with the people of the Niger Delta region which is aimed at addressing the remote causes of recurrent militancy can bring permanent peace to the Niger Delta region. This can only happen when President Buhari as the political leader of Nigeria come down to the negotiation table,” the statement said.

  • Suspend Saraki, not me – Marafa

    Suspend Saraki, not me – Marafa

    Moves by the leadership of the Senate to suspend Zamfara senator, Kabiru Marafa, may generate intense heat as the upper legislative chamber reconvenes on Tuesday.

    Pique by what it described as Marafa’s disparaging press interviews in recent times, the Senate leadership last week, mooted the idea to suspend the lawmaker for a period of time.

    But in a reaction on Sunday, Marafa said rather than suspending him, it is the President of the Senate,  Bukola Saraki that should be suspended.

    At a press briefing in Abuja, Marafa said nobody in the Senate can suspend him, saying there was no offensive remarks in the said interviews he granted the press.

    He said, “Nobody, I repeat, nobody in that Senate, can suspend me over those remarks I made in the said interviews. Rather, it is the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, that should be suspended by the Senate for turning things up side down within the last eight months from forgery of Standing Orders to illegally increasing the number of standing committees in the senate from 57 to 65 with attendant violation of ranking rules in their compositions.

    “And above all, refusing to resign as Senate President in the face of his trial for corruption charges at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and invariably battering the image of the Senate.

    “Saraki should remember that when the issue first came up in August or September last year, but we didn’t tell him to resign. So he cannot by whatever means now, gag us and gag our mouths

    “The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives us the right to say our opinions, to air our views and nobody can deny us that.”

    The senator linked the controversy generated by the alleged missing 2016 Budget to machinations by “fifth columnists” operating on behalf of the Senate President.

    He continued, “These fifth columnists were shouting at different times that the budget was missing, the budget had been doctored, the budget was padded and that it could no longer be passed as earlier planned.

    “Honestly speaking if am to comment on the controversy that has been trailing the 2016 budget in the Senate, I will say it is all the work of the fifth columnists there.

    “You remember we woke up after 15 days or so of the receipt of the budget in the National Assembly. We woke up one day and the Senate President just came and said there was no budget, that the budget was stolen, thus embarrassing everybody. But the following day, the Speaker came out to say the budget was not stolen.

    “Next, they said the budget was doctored, next they said the budget was padded, next they said there were discrepancies all over the place.

    “We knew how they came into the leadership of the National Assembly or the Senate. Was it a coincidence that the issue of padding and everything just came up after the Supreme Court told Saraki to go and face your trial?”