The Nation Newspaper

Tag: national assembly

  • Concerns over delay in appointing new National Assembly Commission

    THE Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has shown concern about the continued delay in the presentation of nominees into the National Assembly Service Commission, (NASC), the body that regulates the National Assembly bureaucracy.

    The concern followed alleged moves of a conspiracy between a senior Presidency official and a top bureaucrat in the National Assembly to stall inauguration of the commission.

    PASAN had gone on strike in December, demanding inauguration of the commission among others.

    Its Chairman, Musa Bature, who noted that the constitution of the board was long overdue, said:  “The legislators have done their part by sending the list to Mr. President for his approval but till date nothing has been received.

    “As you are aware, nothing can be done except he approves the list to enable us have a new board.

    “If you remember during our protest, it was one of the demands we made before we called off the strike,” he said in an interview.

    Read also: Court grants leave to NASS, PASAN to settle dispute

    The National Assembly, in December, forwarded to the President 12 names as members of the commission. The President was expected to forward the names back to the National Assembly.

    But it was gathered a senior Presidency official responsible for the transmission of the list is the source of delay on the issue.

    In the absence of the commission, the civil service bureaucracy in the National Assembly has operated without supervision spurning claims of indiscriminate actions by some of the bureaucrats in the legislative branch of the Federal Government.

     

  • 9th NASS leadership: ‘Erring APC lawmakers will be punished’

    A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Jubrin Abdulmumin, at the weekend said that any erring member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) involved in foul play in the emergence of the leadership of the 9th National Assembly won’t go unpunished.

    In 2015, some members of the ruling party had connived with some opposition members in the emergence of the leadership of the 8th National Assembly to the detriment of the APC.

    But speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abdulmumin was optimistic that APC lawmakers will tow the line of the party for the emergence of the next leadership of the National Assembly.

    He, however, harped on the need for lobbying prior to the process.

    He said: “Well the position of our party and our leaders has always been that all elected members and of course, senators should exercise patience, work is going on, consultations are being carried out and I believe that no any elected senator or members of APC would allow himself to be used by the opposition like in the case of 2015.

    “In the case of 2015, there weren’t consequences but I am pretty sure that this time around, if anybody allowed himself to be used by the opposition party, there will certainly be consequences.”

    Asked if they will follow the wish of the party, he said: “Well, that is what is expected. But as you also aware, they are matured people, they are elected members, there is need for engagement, there is need for a lot of lobbying – that is what is obtainable all over the world.

    “And we have in the person of the President- our father who is reaching out to everybody and of course the party chairman and other leaders working day and night consulting with members and lobbying where they should, so that at the end of the day we can have a very smooth leadership election.

    “But of course, that is not to say that there is no elements of desperation as you can see, a lot of people coming out to indicate interest.

    “Personally, I have complained about that and the way and manner they are going about it it’s a bid unhealthy for the party, because at the end of the day only one person will become senate president and only one person will become the speaker and other principal officers.

    “So we need to start imbibing the culture of putting the country first or the party first before ourselves.

    “Personally, I have demonstrated that because I have indicated that I am not interested in running for the office of the speakership, deputy speakership or any principal office because of how chocked up the whole system is as regard the number of people that are contesting.

    “Just to open up space, and allow some of us to sit down and organise and ensure that the government and of course the party eventually have the kind of parliament or the kind of leadership of the National Assembly that they can work with harmoniously.” he said

  • National Assembly leadership and Buhari’s opposition to imposition

    With the general elections behind us and elected officials at all level waiting for their swearing in ceremony, Nigerians it would appear, are anxious for a Next Level promise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government at the central. Clearly, attention is fast shifting away from the pending rerun polls to a more critical issue of leadership succession at the National Assembly. This is rightly so because the legislature is a critical arm of government that would determine to a large extent the success or otherwise of President Muhammadu Buhari second term in office. That explains why who ever would emerge as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives or President of the Senate must be selected with the benefit of hindsight knowledge of the intrigue and subterfuge that characterized previous exercise.

    Already, the race to the leadership positions in the Senate and the House of Representatives is in top gear. Different groups and caucuses have emerged to advance various interests in leadership slots. The APC which won majority seats in both chambers is expected to wade in to instill party discipline. Given its experience in the 8th Session of the National Assembly, the party is expected to intervene to ensure an orderly process that would produce a popular, credible and loyal party men as principal officers of the National Assembly.

    Arguments have been canvassed that the President-elect of the Federal Republic ought to assert himself by single-handling picking a senate president for the next senate. Proponent of imposition are citing the last events in which party supremacy was supplanted. Such suggestions have led the Presidency to restate, for emphasis, President Buhari’s avowed commitment to the principle of separation of power and independence of the various arm of government. Last week, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang was quick to state that President Buhari would not impose a leader on the National Assembly. This position was further reinforced by Presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu who reinstated that the president does not have a preferred candidate for the number 3 position. Such clarifications become necessary to underscore the president’s readiness to work with the next parliament in a collaborative relationship for effective governance and stability.

    While some major stakeholders in the party, especially from the north believe that the party must wade in to ensure equity in the sharing of national positions, some believed, however, that the party’s role must stop at coming up with the zoning formular for the parliament and allow each zone to produce its candidate for the offices rather than outright imposition. This view is premised on the fact that the zonal caucuses of national assembly are in a better position to chose a candidate to represent their zone. What this does is to give room for interested candidate for leadership positions to campaign, lobby and first secure the endorsement of his/her zone. “What we are saying is that charity begins at home. Let the one who want to represent me at leadership level secure my endorsement rather seeking a short-cut route of imposition,” quipped a senator-elect from the north-east who do not want to be quoted yet.

    According to the senator who preferred anonymity, it is only fair that the senate caucus be allowed to play that role. “In fact, it is in the interest of the party to ensure a robust caucus exists, because it is the easiest platform to get things done for the party. The party can always make use of the caucus to lobby for support on any issue before such issues are brought to the larger body of senators. It is the surest route to enforce party discipline. Those who do not want to go through the zonal caucuses are those who are not confident of themselves as far as human relationship is concerned. If you go ahead to impose such a person, you have set in motion a recipe for chaos and conflict which we must avoid at this point in time.

    Among the notable aspirants for the senate president seat are former governors of Nasarawa State, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, from north central and from north east, former Gombe State governor, Danjuma Goje, former Senate leader, Sen. Mohammed Ali Ndume and current leader, Sen. Lawan.

    So far, the race seems like a straight contest between, Senator Ndume and Senator Lawan. Both are ranking senators with versed experience in chamber politics. Sen. Ndume, particularly, has been in leadership position across the chambers of National Assembly, having been minority leader in the House of Representatives and majority leader in the senate. He enjoys friendship across the wide spectrum of the national assembly. Like Sen. Lawan, he is a “friend” of the Villa who had taken several bullets for the sake of the President and the party.

    The difference between the 8th and the 9th National Assembly would depend largely on the way and manner its leadership would emerge. Is it going to be one dictated by the Presidency as currently being pushed by some elements within the APC hierarchy,  or one that will emerge naturally from the choice of members of the House of Representatives and Senate? The argument that since the President and Commander in chief was elected through a participatory process and that Speaker and Senate President elections should follow same, albeit, through a delegated process is quite germane. The Speaker and President of the Senate are both first among equal, emerging from a body of legislators with equal mandate. To deny them the right to freely chose who will lead them by way of imposition is a deservice to the people they represent.

    President Buhari’s opposition to leadership imposition deserves applause. That is why reason must prevail to allow a natural process leadership succession that would guarantee stability of the 9th National Assembly.

     

    • Umar writes from Kaduna

  • National Assembly election tribunal gets three petitions in FCT

    The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in the FCT has received three petitions from aggrieved candidates who were not satisfied with the conduct of the Feb. 23 National Assembly election in the territory.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the petitioners, are candidates from National Conscience party (NCP), Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and the All Progressives Congress, are challenging the results of two senatorial and one House of Representatives seats as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).

    Read Also: Prosecution closes case in Onnoghen’s trial after three witnesses

    NAN reports that out of the three petitions, one was filed by the NCP candidate, Mr Fisayo Makanjuola against Sen. Philip Aduda, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and INEC as respondents.
    The second petition was filed by a candidate of the PDM, Ekechi Chinyere against INEC, Sen. Aduda and the PDP.

    Mr Amanda Pam and APC filed a petition against Hon. Micah Giba, PDP, INEC and REC.

    NAN reports that the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, constituted the FCT National Assembly election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja.

    The constitution was pursuant to paragraph 133(3) a and b of the Electoral Act as amended.

    The tribunal is located at the FCT High Court, Apo, Abuja

  • BudgIT to Saraki, Dogara: make NASS 2019 budget public

    A civic organisation, BudgIT has asked the leadership of the National Assembly to make details of its 2019 budget open, showing a line-by-line breakdown of allocation.

    The organisation stated that the annual budget of the National Assembly has remained a one-line statutory transfer which is neither reviewed by any authority nor, at the very least, made accessible to the public thus enabling unbridled corruption.

    BudgIT’s Principal Lead, Gabriel Okeowo, in a statement, said  opening the 2019 budget of the lawmakers was the ultimate way the legislature could lead by example in making public accountability a culture in the country.

    According to the statement, it is an irony that the budget of the lawmakers has continued to defile public scrutiny.

    “At this age of digital governance plus global calls for transparency in public institutions, it is a national disrepute that the parliament has refused to eschew anti-democratic practices, as it continues to bury its yearly allocations under the hallowed chambers.

    “That Nigeria’s National Assembly, an arm of government that supposedly upholds accountability, has remained an impregnable black box which defies public scrutiny is an irony of all ironies.

    “Aside from the lawmakers being ranked as world’s top-paid legislators, at public expense, the annual budget of the National Assembly is a one-line statutory transfer which is neither reviewed by any authority nor, at the very least, made accessible to the public thus enabling unbridled corruption.

    “At this age of digital governance plus global calls for transparency in public institutions, it is a national disrepute that the parliament has refused to eschew anti-democratic practices, as it continues to bury its yearly allocations under the hallowed chambers,” the statement read.

    It said more disappointing is the fact that, despite Nigeria’s membership in Open Government Partnership and tons of pledges by Senate President Bukola Saraki to run an “open NASS,” the National Assembly immediately relapsed into its default setting after a breakdown of the budget was made public in 2017 because of public pressure.

    “Asserting that the 2017 record must be made permanent, we are making a renewed demand from the leadership of the eighth assembly to fully redeem its promise. Starting again with the 2019 budget, a line-by-line breakdown of the NASS allocation must be made public going forward.

  • BudgIT to Saraki, Dogara: make NASS 2019 budget public

    BudgIT, a civic organisation, has asked the leadership of the National Assembly to make open details of its 2019 budget, showing a line-by-line breakdown of allocation.

    The organisation stated the annual budget of the national assembly has remained a one-line statutory transfer which is neither reviewed by any authority nor, at the very least, made accessible to the public thus enabling unbridled corruption.

    In a statement on Wednesday in Abuja by its Communications Associate, Shakir Akorede, BudgIT’s principal lead, Gabriel Okeowo, stated that opening the 2019 budget of the national assembly was the ultimate way the legislature could lead by example in making public accountability a Nigerian culture.

    According to the statement, it is an irony that the budget of the national assembly has continued to defile public scrutiny.

    The statement reads: “At this age of digital governance plus global calls for transparency in public institutions, it is a national disrepute that the parliament has refused to eschew anti-democratic practices, as it continues to bury its yearly allocations under the hallowed chambers.

    “That Nigeria’s National Assembly, an arm of government that supposedly upholds accountability, has remained an impregnable black box which defies public scrutiny is an irony of all ironies.

    Read also: Mind yourself, Appeal Court President warns tribunal judges

    “Aside from the lawmakers being ranked as world’s top-paid legislators, at public expense, the annual budget of the National Assembly is a one-line statutory transfer which is neither reviewed by any authority nor, at the very least, made accessible to the public thus enabling unbridled corruption.

    “At this age of digital governance plus global calls for transparency in public institutions, it is a national disrepute that the parliament has refused to eschew anti-democratic practices, as it continues to bury its yearly allocations under the hallowed chambers.

    “More disappointing is the fact that, despite Nigeria’s membership in Open Government Partnership and tons of pledges by Senate President Bukola Saraki to run an “open NASS,” the National Assembly immediately relapsed into its default setting after a breakdown of the budget was made public in 2017, thanks to public pressure.

    “Asserting that the 2017 record must be made permanent, we are making a renewed demand from the leadership of the eighth assembly to fully redeem its promise.

    “Starting again with the 2019 budget, a line-by-line breakdown of the NASS allocation must be made public going forward.

    “It is worth the call that Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara should leave behind a great legacy, one that history would never forget, by truly and finally opening NASS.”

  • Buhari declines assent to five bills

    President Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to five bills passed by the National Assembly.

    The affected bills are the Nigeria Film Commission Bill 2018, the Climate change Bill, 2018, the Immigration (amendment) Bill, 2018, the Chartered Institute of Pension Practitioners of Nigeria Bill, 2018 and the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill, 2018.

    President Buhari said he relied on Section 58(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to convey to the Senate his decision on 5th March, 2019, to decline Presidential assent to the Nigeria Film Commission Bill, 2018 passed by the National Assembly.

    Presidential memo read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, quoted President Buhari to have declined assent because a, Section 1(3) (d)&(e) of the Bill conflicts Section 2(a)(i),(ii) and (c) of the National Film and Video Censors Board Act which confers functions in relation to film exhibition on the National Film and Video Censors Board.

    The memo also said that Section 7(1) (k) of the Bill which states the 1 percent of the proceeds for television licence from the National Broadcasting Commission shall be paid into a fund to be controlled by the National Film Commission is in conflict with Section 16(1) of the National Broadcasting Commission Act which stipulates the purpose for which expenditure generated by the NBC may be used.

    It said that Section 7(2) (d) of the Bill, which proposes to divert 5 percent of VAT on all film-related activity to the National Film Development Fund violates Section 40 of the Value Added Tax Act and the sharing formula prescribed therein, because it diverts funds normally distributed to the states of the Federation to a single federal institution.

    Reasons for the refusal of assent to the other four bills were also given.

  • Saraki, PDP ploting to hijack Ninth National Assembly, Nabena alleges

    A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena has revealed plots by Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and the leadership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hijack the leadership of the 9th session of the National Assembly by influencing who emerges leaders of both chambers.

    Nabena said in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) must move fast to nip such moves in the bud by coming out with a zoning formular for the emergence of leaders of the legislature.

    Nebena who is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary said the Senate President is working in tandem with what he called “Otta farm”, warning that the APC must move quickly and urgently rollout the zoning arrangements to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2015.

    Both incumbent Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara emerged Senate President and Speaker against the party’s wish in the outgoing 8th National Assembly.

    Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Nabena said the outgoing Senate President and his party (PDP) have devised plans to ensure that there loyalists take control of the legislative arm of government.

    He said: “The outgoing Senate President and the PDP caucus have begun surreptitious move to lure some new APC lawmakers with juicy committee position in return for their support for the PDP choice for the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    “Already, Saraki’s henchman, Dino Melaye and some other returning PDP federal lawmakers have scheduled meetings with some APC lawmakers from Wednesday to Sunday in a yet-to-be announced venue.”

    He stressed that “It is important that the APC leadership meet and urgently rollout a fair zoning arrangement to ensure that we produce our preferred candidates for all leadership positions in the incoming National Assembly.

    “Since Saraki lost his bid to return to the Senate and control of his home state, Kwara, he has devised a plan to ensure that he influences the choice of the incoming National Assembly Leadership. This is Saraki’s last-ditch effort to remain politically relevant.

     

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the allegation as diversionary and baseless, saying however, that the governing party has every right to enjoy its delusion of persecution.

    In a chat with our correspondent in Abuja yesterday, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said the PDP has more pressing issues to engage it’s time.

    Ologbondiyan said, “Let Yekini Nabena and the All Progressives Progressives Congress (APC) be told in clear terms that the National Assembly is a political environment.

    “So if crying and whining over National Assembly leadership positions will help their cause, let them continue to indulge themselves.

    “Do they expect the PDP with about 42 members in the Senate, which may increase before June, to sit on the fence and be watching events?

    “For now, we are in court to retrieve our stolen presidential mandate and preparing for supplementary election in states where the INEC declared the March 9 governorship and state assembly elections inconclusive. That is our focus for now.

    “Let them wait till June for the election of leadership of the National Assembly and see how things play out. We believe that when we get to the bridge we will cross it”.

    The PDP however said in a statement yesterday that Nigerians will not vote in vain, assuring that the votes they freely gave to its candidates in the 2019 general elections will never be in vain.

    The statement, signed by Ologbondiyan, expressed optimism that the party will surely recover the presidential mandate given to its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and ensure that none of the states where it is in the lead ahead of the March 23 supplementary election will be hijacked by the APC.

    Ologbondiyan quoted the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, as stating the party’s position during a solidarity visit by the leadership of the party on Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on Tuesday, ahead of Saturday’s supplementary election.

    He further quoted Secondus as stating that Nigerians are extremely hurting over the “rigging” of the presidential and other elections by the APC, as well as alleged schemes to forcefully take over states already won by the PDP, leading to the supplementary elections.

    “Elections are about the will of the people. When you force yourself on the people; that is not democracy. Today, Nigerians are unhappy with the way elections were rigged without allowing the will of the people to prevail”, Secondus said.

    Tambuwal was reported to have assured that the PDP and the people of Sokoto state were upbeat and fully mobilized to ensure that their will is not subverted.

    “We are upbeat as Sokoto state has never been this mobilised. People are praying and fasting by themselves and they are ready once again to ensure that their will is not subverted.

    “What happened in the last elections was unimaginable as security agents took over the state. Ballot papers were found with APC members on the streets. The staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stormed the residences of our members, harassing and intimidating them.

    “Even on the day of election, they were going round the polling units and picking up our members. There were open rigging in about six of the local government areas.

    “They brought their federal might to bear but the will of the people prevailed against them and we won, yet they declared the election inconclusive.

    “So, in Sokoto, they have the will of the people to contend with and given the prayers that our people are offering everyday and their decision to checkmate the rigging of APC, victory is sure to be for us and the PDP”, Tambuwal was quoted to have said.

    The main opposition party urged all its members and supporters to remain steadfast and march out on March 23 to consolidate on the victory already won by the party in the states where supplementary elections have been scheduled.

     

  • Lawmaker lifts students

    A member representing Epe Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Abuja, Hon. Tasir Olawale Raji, has given out West African Examination Council (WAEC) forms to students in secondary schools in his constituency.

    The distribution took place in Epe.

    He appreciated parents and guardians for their efforts on the students, saying he was ready to support the future of the students.

    Raji told the students to be up and doing to become great leaders in years to come.

    In addition, he promised to deliver more than these in the office, to cater for all children, youths, adults and non-indigenes in his constituency.

    Read also: 24 states enact CPS

    He promised that the royal fathers will be accorded their due honour and placed in their normal position, adding they would be elevated more than before in this new dispensation.

    He called on all and sundry to support the incoming governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, so that Lagos State will be the best among all other states in the country.

    He commiserated with the families of the collapsed building in Lagos recently, saying: “God will give them the fortitude to bear the loss.”

  • Buhari won’t interfere with choice of NASS leaders, says Presidency

    The Presidency has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will not interfere with the process of electing the next crop of leadership of the incoming National Assembly.

    Rather, the President will stick to the rule of law and the operative principle of separation of powers in the affairs of the National Assembly.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Affairs (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, who stated this at a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, said the President will give both arms of the federal legislature a free hand to elect their leaders.

    Enang’s position contradicts claims by some returning senators that President Buhari will have a hand in the choice of the principal officers in the Ninth Senate.

    The presidential aide maintained that Buhari will play neutral and allow the elected lawmakers to sort out their leadership tussle and allow the best candidates to emerge.

    Enang said: “The principle of President Muhammadu Buhari is that each arm of government should function according to what the constitution says, which is that every person in government should do the right thing.

    “He (Buhari) will not go beyond what the constitution allows him and every arm of government should stick to its constitutional responsibilities.”

    Enang appealed to the present crop of lawmakers to give priority to some pending bills, among which are the 2019 Appropriation Bill, the New Minimum Wage Bill, the Medium Terms Expenditure Framework and the budget of the various government agencies.

    “The budget of the 64 different federal government owned agencies are still pending before the national parliament.

    “Unless the budgets of the different agencies are considered and passed, we still have a lot to lose in terms of opportunities for employment in those ministries and some capital projects which would have increased government spending or the spending of the various agencies and parastatals.

    “The executive is ready with all the system to come in and defend the budget. We have, in advance, worked with the committee on appropriation to determine a time table for the defence of their budgets.

    “We have informed all the ministers, heads of departments, agencies and the ministries to be on the alert so that immediately the bill is committed to the committee on appropriation, we will upon invitation, appear before them”, he said.