The Nation Newspaper

Tag: national assembly

  • Ekweremadu wants Presidential Inauguration shifted to NASS  

    Ekweremadu wants Presidential Inauguration shifted to NASS  

    The first reading of a Bill for an Act to provide for the inauguration of the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, also known as Presidential Inauguration Bill, 2016, was taken by the Senate in plenary Tuesday.

    The Bill, sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, seeks to move the inauguration of the President and the Vice President from the Eagles Square to within the precincts of the National Assembly, in tandem with international best practices as obtained in the United States of America, USA, and many other democracies.

    However, the 11-Section Bill does not seek to preclude the Chief Justice of Nigeria from administering the Oath of Office on the two foremost political leaders.

    It provides for the inauguration ceremony of the President-elect and the Vice President-elect to take place at the Arcade of the National Assembly, where the people are represented.

    It provides for the setting up of a Presidential Inauguration Committee, which shall consist of a serving member of the National Assembly as Chairman, six members drawn from the Legislature, two from the Executive, two from the Judiciary, and two from the Civil Society.

    No date has been fixed for debate on the general principles of Bill and a possible second reading.

    Section 7 provides for a Procession with the President, while former Presidents, former Heads of State, former Heads of Federal Government, former Vice Presidents, former Senate Presidents, former Speakers of the House of Representatives, and former Chief Justices of the Federation, follow.

    The Bill further provides for the President-elect and Vice President-elect to be the last to come, accompanied by their immediate families and also to be supported by their spouses, serving President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives at the point of swearing-in.

    Although Nigeria’s current democratic system is modeled after that of the USA, some practices such as State of the Union Address and presidential inauguration practices are yet to be integrated into the nation’s democratic practices.

    A State of the Nation Address Bill sponsored by Senator Ekweremadu and passed by the 7th National Assembly was not accented to by the former President. However, it is expected to form part of the ongoing constitution amendment effort.

    The Presidential Inauguration Bill was also earlier by Senator Jubril Aminu in 2009 and passed by the 6th National Assembly, but was not also assented to by the former President.

  • National Assembly begins process of solid minerals bills

    A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Emmanuel Egwu (APC-Kogi) on Thursday said the National Assembly would commence the consideration of Bills for the management of solid minerals in the country.

    Egwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that there were more than one Bill on the issue and that both chambers of the assembly were currently processing the bills before them.

    He said that the bills were aimed at ensuring proper coordination of activities of the solid minerals sector to make it viable enough to generate huge revenue for the country.

    He said that when there was fall in oil price or disruption in production of oil, the nation often suffered losses because price and volume went together.

    Egwu added that “even if the price of oil is high, as high as 100 dollars per barrel and we cannot produce enough, it is still a problem, just like what is happening in the Niger Delta today.’’

    He therefore said that there was the need to process the Bills in order to strengthen sources of diversification of the economy.

    “We should diversify to areas that would be of immense benefit and as urgent as possible to improve on the values of the country,” Egwu added.

    He called for a well-coordinated solid mineral sector, adding that an agency could be engaged to handle such assignment effectively.

    He said that the job of the agency would include coordinating the exploration all minerals available in the country and exportation, explaining that it was necessary to avoid situation where items were produced but could not be exported.

    “When there is more attention from government and assistance to those interested in exporting, I think it will assist Federal Government a lot,” the lawmaker said.

     

  • $30 billion loan: Reps’ South-East Caucus gives Buhari conditions

    $30 billion loan: Reps’ South-East Caucus gives Buhari conditions

    …Vow vigilance over Sharia Bill

    …Protest killing of Igbos in FCT

    The South East Caucus in the House of Representatives Thursday said they were unclear as to the intent of the Federal Government concerning the $29.9 billion foreign loan for which it seeks approval from the National Assembly.

    The Caucus also said the controversial Sharia Bill is a Constitutional matter that cannot be sneaked through without the knowledge of lawmakers and vowed that the Caucus will be on high alert for the piece of legislation.

    While addressing the press on matters relating to the economy, the Caucus leader, Chukwumah Onyeama, Deputy Minority Leader, said the information concerning the loan needs to meet the threshold of transparency.

    “Details of the terms of the loans- duration cost, and application are unclear. Details of the loan utilization must be made available, to us to ensure geographical spread and relevance to current economic outlook with a view to Jon creation and inclusive growth for all sectors/ sections  if the country.

    “We therefore insist that as part of this country, the South East infrastructural deficit must be captured to ensure uniform development and inclusive growth.

    Recall that the Senate had earlier in the week rejected the request of the Federal Government to borrow $29.9 billion foreign loan while the House is yet to debate the loan.

    The Caucus while speaking on the economic situation downturn in the country said: “”We recognize that as our country goes through an economic recession which has resulted in the loss of jobs, decreased spending, more valence of hunger and uncertainty in the polity, we stand with our fellow Nigerians in this difficult period

    “We urge the Executive Arm of Government to speedily formulate Fiscal and Economic Policies that will see an end to the present economic downturn.”

    The lawmakers said that there is need for the President to brief the Legislature on the true state of the economy and his road map to economic recovery. “The urgency cannot be overstated at this time,” they said.

    On the controversial Sharia Bill, they said: “the passage of the Sharia bill passing second reading. You all know gentlemen of the press that any matter that concerns the constitution will, must, in fact, let me use the word “shall”, pass second reading. Then it goes into committee where we are going to debate it.

    “Now be rest assured that the people you see here (the caucus members) I’m sure you recognize all of them on the floor. They cannot sit there and… We’re waiting for it to come on the floor for debate that is when we can discuss this issue.”

    The Caucus also condemned the killing of prominent Ndigbo in the FCT. “Arinze Vhikwem was brutally murdered in Kabusa with over 72 knife stabs. He hails from Mbieri Mbatoli LGA of Imo State.

    “David Nkwazema was stabbed to death in Kuchigoro, he hails from Amakohia Ikeduru LGA of Imo State and Ikechukwu from Enugu State was beheaded at Apo by an Okada rider.

    “We strongly condemn the gruesome murders of the three prominent Mdigbo in the FCT. We call on all relevant authorities including the Nigeria Police Force and the Judiciary to expedite action in bringing the culprits to book,” The lawmakers said.

  • Ijaw youths to militants:  Give Buhari a chance

    Ijaw youths to militants:  Give Buhari a chance

    …Youths hail President for seeking more funds for amnesty office
    Ijaw youths, Wednesday, urged militants operating in the Niger Delta region to sheathe their swords and allow President Muhammadu Buhari to implement his developmental projects in the region.

    The youths under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, said they were excited at the recent letter the President sent to the National Assembly seeking more funding for the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, the President of IYC, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, said the request for more funds for the Amnesty Office portrayed Buhari a listening President.

    Eradiri said though the action of the President came later than expected, it would go a long way to calm the frayed nerves in the region adding that it was in conformity with the position of IYC.

    He advised the President to show similar commitment in improving the lots of other institutions created to develop the region such as the Niger Delta Ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    He said: “The President just sent a letter to the National Assembly requesting for more funds especially to support the amnesty programme. The breakdown of law and order in the Niger Delta is largely attributed to shortage of funding to the office.

    “We want to commend Mr. President and thank him because once we have this kind of commitment, Niger Delta question will be resolved. We look forward to doing everything possible on our part to ensure that there is peace.

    “We are appealing to the President to in the same spirits look into the Niger Delta Ministry as well as funds that are owed NDDC”.

    Eradiri further asked the President to activate his anti-corruption drive in the monitoring and tracking funds allocated to Niger Delta interventionist agencies.

    Apart from ensuring discipline in the usage of allocated funds, he said Buhari should ensure that the funds were managed by people who understood the issues and problems in the region.

    He said: “We want to also state that while approving funds to institutions like this, the anti-corruption drive must be activated to ensure that the institutions live up to expectation to ensure that funds are not diverted.

    “Those in the position to manage the amnesty office and other institutions addressing the issues of the region must be people who have knowledge of the issues. If he doesn’t have the right people to address the issues, even the funding will be misplaced”.

    While asking militants to give the president a chance, he said: “Yes, the militants should give the government a chance. But the government needs to be proactive and not falling into this stereotype attitude.

    “The President may be doing the right thing but when there is delay, his body language may be misinterpreted. Like if this current step of the President had come earlier and other steps we expect like pronouncing the resumption of the maritime university, l don’t see any sane agitator going against him.

    “The President has taken an action. But did we have to lose all these lives, economy and all the constraints and emotional crisis before such a letter should be transmitted.

    “Sometimes when you do something late, it has repercussions. If the actions Mr. President is taking now had been taken earlier, we wouldn’t have gotten to this point where the economy will be lying prostrate. We need more proaactive steps from the President”.

    To ensure general peace in the country, Eradiri further advised the President to extend Olive branches to other parts of the country and ethnic nationalities causing distractions for him.

    He suggested that Buhari should look into the issues of the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Shia Muslim cleric, Ibrahim Zakzaky to ensure total reconciliation and peace in the country.

    “We want to commend Mr.President for the bold steps; he should extend it to other parts of the country. He should make decision that will bring everybody to the roundtable.

    “The issue of El Zakzaky, the IPOB leader and other issues that are creating more divisions and distractions for the President should be looked into in the spirits of reconciliation.

    “He had negotiated with Book Haram. He is negotiating with the Niger Delta. He should extend the Olive branch to other facets of the polity creating distractions for him. We desire him to succeed because if he does, Nigeria will succeed. If he fails, all of us will fail”, he said.

  • Senate will resist flouting of laws, says Saraki

    Senate will resist flouting of laws, says Saraki

    ‎Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has said that the National Assembly will resist any attempt to flout the laws of the country.

    He also reiterated the resolve of the National Assembly to place the welfare, interest and general well-being of Nigerians on the front-burner as a way of cushioning the effects of the present economic recession and hardship in the country.

    The Senate President vowed that the two chambers of the National Assembly would speak out loudly whenever the laws of the country were being flouted.

    He said that members of the two chambers would “demonstrate courage, make sacrifices, be accountable, and stand up for the people we represent.‎”

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Sanni Onogu, said that Saraki stated this while presenting his speech at the ongoing 135th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and related matters, in Geneva, Switzerland with the theme: “Human Rights Abuses as precursors of Conflict: Parliaments as Early Responders”.

    It quoted Saraki to have assured that the National Assembly would continue to support efforts by the world legislative body to check human rights abuses across the world.

    Saraki was also quoted to have said that it was time national governments demonstrated courage in implementing laws against human rights abuses.

    He noted: “There are available laws addressing most of the human-rights related issues, the major problems are centered around non-implementation, poor oversight and lack of enforcement of these laws. We must speak out loudly when our laws are not obeyed and work in synergy with the other arms of government to ensure that human right violations wherever it occurs is condemned and addressed.

    “The National Assembly of Nigeria will continue to be a people-centered institution, where the interest and welfare of every Nigerian is paramount. As duly elected representatives of the Nigerian people, we will continue to work closely with every stakeholder in the arduous task of building a prosperous, secured and egalitarian society, where everyone will have a sense of belonging.

    “It is on this note that I wish to encourage this discourse and also throw the weight of the National Assembly of Nigeria behind the efforts of the IPU in ensuring early response on the part of Parliaments in checking human rights abuses in order to avoid needless conflict.”

    It said that Saraki told the world body that the National Assembly is working to reposition the Nigerian economy to effectively meet the challenges of the 21st Century on human development, economic and social rights as well as to reposition the Nigerian economy to effectively meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

    He said this can be achieved “by creating a business environment that would create more jobs and opportunities for the youth, promote and sustain domestic entrepreneurs and facilitate the economic inclusiveness and participation of all segments of society so that the overall standard of living and socio-economic wellbeing of all Nigerians will be raised.

    “Specifically, since the beginning of the year, we are working to fast-track over 40 priority bills recommended by the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable (NASSBER),” he said.

    Saraki said it is crucial for the world parliamentarians to see the issue of human rights as a global problem “because it is only by working together and in synergy that we can truly agree on a resolve.”

    He said: “The IPU is right by linking the pervasive lack of respect for human dignity as a source of conflict worldwide. Democracy cannot flourish in the midst of human rights abuses. These are often compounded by poor governance, resulting in injustice, whether real or perceived, national or global.

    “For example, a top United Nations Human Rights official recently called the siege and bombardment of eastern Aleppo as ‘crimes of historic proportions’ and accused all parties of violating international humanitarian law in Syria.

    “In the case of South Sudan, thousands of civilians have been killed often because of their ethnicity or perceived political alliances; where an estimated two (2) million people have been forced to flee their homes while large parts of key towns and essential civilian structures such as clinics, hospitals, schools have been looted, destroyed and abandoned.

    “Conflict in the North-East region of Nigeria as a result of Boko Haram activities, have directly affected over 4.5 million families. More than 1 million people in the North East region are in danger of extreme malnutrition and have become internally displaced persons (IDPs) in their own country. According to UNICEF, 130 children die every day as a result of lack of food. The UN estimates that about 7 million people need assistance especially food of which over 250,000 is under age 5.

    “Parliamentarians are the guardians of human rights. We work for the well-being of the people that we represent and should continue to develop legislative frameworks to ensure that our various human right laws are respected, implemented and properly over sighted.

    “In Nigeria, our legislative agenda emphasized human right issues relating to peace and security, sexual harassment, workers welfare, violence against women and children, amongst others.

    “To address these catastrophic realities, we have passed the Child Rights Act 2003 and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015. In March 2016, we allocated N10bn to IDPs in the North East in recognition of the dire situation. Parliamentarians agreed on a personal-allocation of an individual contribution to alleviate the plight of IDPs.

    “We have passed the North East Commission Act to ensure accountability and efficient structures for managing the nation’s humanitarian situation and providing special care for our IDPs.”

  • Nollywood actor wants stiffer penalty for piracy, plagiarism

    A veteran Nollywood actor, Mr Dele Odule, on Monday urged the National Assembly to enact a law enforcing stiffer punishment for anybody or group found guilty of piracy or plagiarism.

    Odule, who is the National President of Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers of Nigeria (TAMPAN), made the appeal in llorin on Monday while speaking with newsmen.

    The Nollywood actor said that piracy, though a global problem occurred at an alarming rate in Nigeria.

    He attributed the high incidence to the low penalty meted out on the perpetrators and non-enforcement of laws against the offence.

    “Film producers in Nigeria do not have retirement benefits like civil servants and ordinarily, their production should be their benefits after retirement.

    “However, in a situation where these works have been pirated, they are doomed and have nothing to look forward to in future,’’ Odule said.

    He appealed to the Federal Government to borrow a leaf from developed countries by assisting film producers in creating an enabling environment to operate.

    The actor appealed that a large film village should be built, where actors would be required to pay a token to the government to achieve their mission.

    He also solicited that loan facilities should be provided for actors at low interest rates.

    The Nollywood actor disclosed that under his leadership as the TAMPAN president plans had reached an advanced stage to professionalise theatre and film production in the country.

    This, he said, was to guard against non-professionals bastardising their good jobs.

  • Many hearty cheers to grandstanding!

    Many hearty cheers to grandstanding!

    Is this law to divert attention from Jibrin’s accusations or impress citizens that NASS is sincere in its commitment to support Buhari’s war on corruption?

    In the 1970s one of the illustrations of the power of mass media in a democracy was theorised as Agenda Setting. Politicians were supposed to worry about persuading voters to buy their manifesto while governments were expected to implement agenda captured in their manifesto. But the media was believed by communication theorists to have the power to create and propagate issues that get citizens engaged. This theory still holds. But today, post-election governments in Nigeria at all levels spend more time setting agenda through conferences than implementing them.

    Last month, a conference was held on corruption at which members of the National Assembly and governors spoke effusively on how to improve the culture of budgeting. Again, just a few days ago, another conference was convened to discuss how to fight corruption. Apart from Kenya’s former anti-corruption tsar, other major speakers were the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Both lawmakers revelled in pontificating about the importance of fighting corruption while assuring the nation that the two legislative houses they head are committed to supporting President Buhari’s fight against corruption.

    Why would these two top lawmakers need to tell the nation that they are ready to support the anti-corruption fight? If they were members of the opposition party, PDP, this would have been understandable, but what is the sense in top APC leaders who hold top legislative posts at the instance or in the name of APC, a party whose major campaign plank was (and remains) killing corruption before corruption kills the country need to assure conference audience of their loyalty to anti-corruption cause? Why would principal officers of the National Assembly need a conference to call for an independent anti-corruption agency?

    Lawmakers are being ‘cheered’ in this piece for pontificating about how to fight corruption while one of their members is on suspension for 180 days for acting as a whistle blower to alert the executive and citizens about the depth or height of corruption in the House of Representatives. Would it not be less hypocritical for the top lawmakers to stay away from such conference and use the time to address complaints of the suspended chairman of Appropriation Committee? In other climes, the herd instinct that made it easy to prevent Jibrin from representing his constituency in the House would have been avoided for several reasons.

    One, fellow lawmakers would have investigated Jibrin’s claims to save the institution from embarrassment before suspending Jibrin if found to have chosen to parade fiction as fact. Similarly, law enforcement agencies in such countries would have insisted upon investigating the claims of Jibrin to confirm or disprove his sensational claims, if only to sustain the trust of citizens in governance institutions. No country interested in justice would have looked away from such serious claims about principal lawmakers looting the country’s treasury, especially under a regime whose raison d’etre is fight against corruption. Secondly, security-conscious countries would have sensed the security risk in ignoring Jibrin’s allegations. If such allegations are found to be false, Jibrin would have been punished for attempting to bring an important branch of government to ridicule.

    In addition, the electors of Jibrin from Kano would have gone to court to fight disenfranchisement. How can House Rules of any parliament have the power to derogate from the sovereignty of millions of Kano voters? Counterparts of Kano electorate in other democracies would have petitioned the judiciary about attempts to nullify their citizenship rights. In fact, lawmakers in truly democratic countries would have investigated Jibrin’s claims and if they are found to be groundless, he would have been handed to law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute for libel, slander, and deliberate effort to cause disaffection in the legislature with a view to destabilising the polity.

    In another development, the same legislature that Jibrin accused of corruption has announced its readiness to create laws to protect whistle blowers. This new move by the National Assembly deserves special hearty cheers. Is this law to divert attention from Jibrin’s accusations or impress citizens that NASS is sincere in its commitment to support Buhari’s war on corruption? Jibrin has acted as an unduly energetic whistle blower whose complaints should have been protected by all well-meaning believers in the cause of fighting corruption. Is the National Assembly planning to make the law to protect whistle blowers retroactive to cover Jibrin?

    As if to bring the matter of Jibrin back to media attention, the conference organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption and the National Assembly was assured by the committee’s chairman, Prof. Sagay, that there is need to investigate Jibrin’s claims. Should the EFCC be too busy from investigating bigger suspects than Jibrin who has in fact confessed to committing the crime that he has accused his colleagues of, shouldn’t the matter of Jibrin’s self-confession be passed to the investigative division of the police, to save time and cost?

    The recent conversion of the Nigerian Bar Association to the school of thought that arresting individual judges suspected of crime is not synonymous with attacking the judiciary as an institution certainly deserves some hearty cheers. Without finding out why DSS broke into the house of some judges, the NBA was the first organisation to threaten fire and brimstone by announcing that it would withdraw from attending courts because of DSS’s arrest of judges. What has the NBA now uncovered to make its initial threat untenable? In other climes, the cream of a country’s Bar would first seek information on any matter before rushing to take sides as the NBA rushed to do when the news of arrest of judges broke. It belittles our learned colleagues that they have had within two weeks to change from sympathisers of judges arrested to supporters of their arrestors.

    It is amazing that EFCC chose the conference on anti-corruption to ask for permission to keep a percentage of money recovered from loot. Although governance in our country is being done increasingly through conferences, a serious organisation like EFCC should have refrained from turning what should have been an intra-governmental memo to a conference announcement. However, it is risky to tie funding of EFCC to percentage of loot, regardless of what the United Kingdom does. Adequate resources should be given to EFCC, ICPC, and other similar organisations to do their job. There is no reason why the federal government cannot provide funds to these organisations, knowing that whatever is recovered would come back to the federal purse. An organisation that has brought in N100 billion from the Northwest alone should not be left scrounging for funds to provide conducive space to work. It will enhance transparency to separate the source of expenditures of EFCC from funds it recovers from thieves of state. Allowing EFCC to start collecting commission from proceeds of graft will set a bad precedent for the police, customs, and other agencies.

    Clearly, our country is at a critical time in its history. There was recession when General Buhari tried to fight corruption as a military dictator. But this is the first time that a government has been mandated by citizens through election to fight corruption. Since everybody’s experience (including Buhari’s) is low in terms of fighting corruption through the mechanism of an elected government, people are willing to excuse a few lapses in the fight against corruption. But what is likely to send wrong signals to citizens is any attempt— direct or indirect— to look away from any petition or complaint about any person (in the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of government) acting in ways that suggest corruption.

    More importantly, it may be counterproductive for lawmakers or even executive branch leaders to take citizens for granted. Spending manpower hours and funds on conferences on corruption or on how to fight corruption does not automatically amount to efficiency in the fight against corruption. Nothing is likely to gladden the hearts of citizens than for all the branches of government to respond to allegations of corruption about serving officers. Conferences have their role in modern governance, but they also have the potential to turn important government agenda from action to verbiage.

  • Abuja indigenes protest quit order by the Army

    Some indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday barricaded the main entrance of the National Assembly protesting a quit notice allegedly issued to them by the Nigerian Army.

    The leader of the group, Alhaji Jubrin Mamman, said the Army recently encroached into their lands, located at Tunga Maje, along Gwagwalada-Abaji axis of the FCT.

    Mamman said that the action violated a court ruling restraining them from doing so.

    He further claimed that the security agency had given them up till the end of October to vacate the areas.

    “We will not accept to be treated as strangers in our lands.

    “We have been living at Tunga Maje and its environs for years and won’t let anyone, including the Nigerian Army, to intimidate us out of our lands.

    “We are appealing to the authorities of Federal Capital Territory to tell Army to leave us alone.

    “There is an existing court order restraining them from chasing us away from our lands but they are not obeying it.

    “That is why we have come to express our grievances,” he said.

    Mamman added that the group had earlier petitioned the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on the matter.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the protesters, who arrived the National Assembly at 11 a.m. prevented vehicles from entering the complex.

    They displayed placards with various inscriptions expressing their displeasure over any move to evict them from the area.

    However, attempt by the protesters to force themselves into the complex to meet the leadership of Senate and the House of Representatives was resisted by the security operatives.

    The main gate was reopened at about 2 p.m. when the protesters had dispersed.

  • NASS requests for detailed report on bailout from CBN

    NASS requests for detailed report on bailout from CBN

    The National Assembly has demanded for the detailed hard copy report of the federal government bailout to states from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Addressing journalists at the end of a “routine friendly oversight visit to the CBN” the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking and Other Financial Institutions, Senator, Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim, disclosed that members of the committee were happy with the presentation of the apex bank on all issues raised but giving the importance of the bailout to state governments, the senate, he said, needed further clarification which required that the CBN forward the hard copy of the report to the committee for further perusal.

    According to Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, “we requested for a detailed hard copy of a report of the bailout and loans, we are satisfied with their (CBN) presentation, they have told us what they have done so far.”

    The senator also stated that members of the committee did not see any major problem between fiscal and monetary authorities. The alleged differences between both policy authorities the senator said “is only a matter of perception, they are working together in the interest of the country.”

    He assured that “the role of the National Assembly is to help the CBN perform its duties very well.”

    On his part, the CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, assured the members of the senate committee on banking and other financial institutions that the current economic challenges are easily surmountable.

    Emefiele appealed to the senators “to work together with the apex bank to make Nigeria a habitable place for all.”

  • Buhari to join Saraki, Dogara for national prayers

    Buhari to join Saraki, Dogara for national prayers

    President Muhammadu Buhari is to attend the 7th edition of the National  Prayer Breakfast organized by the National Assembly, it emerged Thursday.

    Buhari, who is to join the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers and lawmakers are expected to seek divine intervention for the nation’s challenges.

    The prayers, put together by Christian Legislators in the National Assembly under the auspices of Christian Legislators Forum (CLF) said the seventh edition of the prayers became necessary due to the socio-economic and political challenges the country is currently going through.

    President of the group, Sen. Barnabas Gemade said it was in view of the challenges that the theme of this edition was tagged ‘Tree and Its Fruits: Is Yours a Blessing or a Curse to Nigeria’ was chosen.

    According to Gemade, the event Thursday 27th October 2016 at the International Conference Center (ICC) Abuja would have legislators and other policy makers in the Executive branch of government as well as members of the Judiciary in attendance.

    “It is a non-denominational gathering of Christians to honour and praise God for his graces the nation and seek his face for the challenges facing it.

    “The purpose of the gathering according to its organizers is to build bridges of unity and to engender harmony and progress in the polity.

    “In a chaotic world like ours bedeviled with various challenges notably crisis situations, hard struggles and sufferings, we need God to usher us into a new Beginning.

    “This prayer would afford us an opportunity that reminds all persons that no matter how much responsibility we have or how much power we think we hold, we are imperfect vehicles.

    “We enjoin all patriotic Nigerians to join us to pray  God of creation to direct our nation as one where peace and justice reigns,” he said.