The Nation Newspaper

Tag: national assembly

  • National Assembly’s Acting Clerk: ‘Saraki still working with PDP’

    National Assembly’s Acting Clerk: ‘Saraki still working with PDP’

    Senate President Bukola Saraki and leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the National Assembly have been accused of setting up land mines against the ruling All Progress Congress (APC).

    It was learnt at the weekend that Saraki’s rejection of the nomination of Mr Sani Omolori as the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly was done in concert with PDP’s leadership in the National Assembly.

    The Senate leadership allegedly planned to extend the tenure of the Clerk, Ben Efeturi, by two years, if his appointment had sailed through.

    But APC leaders frustrated Saraki and his men in the National Assembly.

    The Senate President, through a letter by his Chief of Staff, Senator Isa Galaudu, urged the Executive Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), Dr Adamu Fika, to withdraw the letter appointing Omolori as Acting Clerk of the National Assembly for the period Dr Maikasuwa would be on pre-retirement leave from May 14 to August 14.

    But Fika swiftly rejected the idea, insisting that the decision to appoint Omolori was taken at the commission’s 440th meeting on April 20.

    In a letter on the matter sent to the Senate President, Fika said: “The commission took into account the fact that Mr Efeturi will proceed on his pre-retirement leave on August 2, that is 12 days before the incumbent Clerk will be due to hand over to his successor.

    “This means that Mr Efeturi is time-barred for the acting appointment; hence the choice of Mr Omolori to act and ensure continuity in that very important public service office, where he will serve for the next five years.

    “In arriving at the commission’s decision, the chairman did not use his casting vote because 11 commissioners were in support with only one who voted no.”

    The NASC chairman argued that by career progression in the public service, Omolori is senior to Mr Efeturi.

    He noted that denying Omolori the appointment as Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly in 2014 was improper.

    Fika said: “Reversing the decision of the commission appointing Omolori as the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly cannot be tenable in the circumstance.”

    A highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence with our reporter, said Saraki was acting the script of PDP leaders in the National Assembly as parts of strategies to maintained their hold and influence on the Eighth National Assembly.

    The source expressed surprise that the Senate President was not tired of working against his party, the APC.

    He said APC leaders were watching how far Saraki would go against the party under the present dispensation.

  • Ita-Giwa hails Presidency, National Assembly on budget

    •Ex-presidential aide urges speedy assent

    A former Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, has hailed the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the National Assembly to resolve the impasse on this year’s appropriation bill.

    In a statement at the weekend in Lagos, Ita-Giwa urged the Presidency to assent to it speedily so that meaningful development could take place.

    She said in a democracy, there were bound to be misunderstanding and disputes, adding that when properly managed, such differences would contribute to a healthy rivalry between the two arms.

    According to her, sitting together to resolve the grey areas is a welcome development.

    Ita-Giwa said when the President assents to it, the ministries and corporations should implement the budget on a large scale.

    She said there should be cordiality and collaboration among the three arms of government, despite the fact that the rule of law provides for separation of powers to prevent abuse and arbitrariness.

    The former adviser recalled that during her stints at the National Assembly under two former successful presidents, she mediated well between the Executive and the Legislature on budgets and other matters.

    She said the successes she recorded were the products of the cordial relationship she established and sustained with the principal officers of the National Assembly.

  • ‘Occupy National Assembly’ protesters seek Saraki’s exit

    ‘Occupy National Assembly’ protesters seek Saraki’s exit

    •Pro-Senate president’s group kicks        

    •Ndume: they’re laying bad precedence

    A civil society organi-sation, Citizens United for Peace and Stability, yesterday staged a rally at the National Assembly, demanding the “immediate resignation of Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki”.

    The protesters, who called themselves #OCCUPYNASS, criticised the purchase of 36 exotic Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) for the senators.

    They insisted that the “exorbitant vehicles” must be returned.

    They asked the lawmakers to revisit the 2016 budget in line with the Presidency’s demands.

    The protesters, mostly youths, said Saraki should vacate his seat for what they called mounting corruption cases preferred against him in the country and internationally.

    Apart from Saraki’s trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for alleged false declaration of assets, the group cited the alleged operation of offshore companies by Saraki in a tax haven.

    The activists proceeded from the Unity Fountain in the Central Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja to the National Assembly.

    As they marched toward the entrance to the National Assembly, they forced their way to the main gate.

    Due to the high number of the protesters, a security network mounted by regular and riot police officers collapsed.

    The security operatives promptly shut the main gate, an action which prevented workers, lawmakers and other visitors to the National Assembly from either entering or leaving the complex.

    The protesters formed a circle around the main gate to convey their demands.

    Armed with placards containing various inscriptions, the protesters insisted on sealing off the National Assembly for at least the initial three days of their protest.

    They vowed that they would only call off their protest when their demands are met.

    The protesters said they would mount a permanent protest and paralyse the National Assembly, if their demands were not met.

    Some of the placards displayed by the activists read: “Return exotic cars”, ”Saraki must go”, “Legislator stop budget padding”, “Enough is enough”.

    Their leader, Mr. Sadiq Jidda, insisted that “Saraki must resign”.

    He noted that his stay as the Senate President was no longer in the country’s interest.

    He said: “What does a legislator has to do with projects? We are gathered here to occupy National Assembly. Senate President should immediately resign. Saraki’s integrity is in question and he has been indicted. Yes, he has not been convicted, but his integrity is in question.”

    Another group, which protested in favour of Saraki, said those asking for the Senate President to resign did not mean well for the country.

    The pro-Saraki group’s leader, Solomon Adodo, insisted that those calling for the resignation of Saraki should be ignored.

    Adodo noted that the emerging negative trend must be fought by lovers of democracy.

    He said that the tenet of democracy must not be compromised.

    Senate Leader Mohammed Ali Ndume described the action of the anti-Saraki group as “dangerous for our democracy”.

    He said: “That is why we are not saying anything about them because what is happening out there is a very dangerous precedence that we are trying to set.

    “Nigerians and you too the press will have to help to define rights; know that where your rights ends, my own starts.

    ”I contested to be senator of Borno South. I did not force myself on my people and therefore, somebody out there, especially the one that did not elect me, cannot force me out because I didn’t come in by force.

    “I came in by ballot, not by gun and not by placard; I have posters but not placards. So, if for example, I am short of performance and my constituents feel that they didn’t have time to waste, there is a clear cut process: collect signatures, ask for me to be recalled. That is the democratic way and not by coming in here to stand and say you want to occupy NASS.

    “If you occupy NASS, to do what, to be leader or to be senator? It doesn’t work that way. If you strongly feel that Ndume is not doing well to represent southern Borno, next time, if you are up to 35, you just go and contest and defeat the man and come here and do better.”

  • Occupy National Assembly group demands Saraki’s resignation

    Occupy National Assembly group demands Saraki’s resignation

    A Civil Society Organisation, Citizens United for Peace and Stability, Tuesday staged a rally at the National Assembly to demand the immediate resignation of the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

    The protesters criticized the purchase of exotic Sport Utility Vehicles for the Senators and insisted that the exorbitant jeeps must be returned.

    They asked the lawmakers to immediately revisit the 2016 budget with a viewing to reviewing in line with the Presidency demands.

    The protesters, mostly youths, said that Saraki should vacate his seat due to mounting corruption cases preferred against him in the country and internationally.

    Apart from Saraki’s trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over alleged false declaration of assets, the group also cited the alleged operation of off shore companies by Saraki in Panama.

    The activists proceeded from the Unity Fountain in the Central Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja to the National Assembly.

    As they marched toward the entrance to the National Assembly, they forced their way to the main gate.

    Apparently due to the high number of the protesters, all security network mounted by regular and riot police officers collapsed.

    The security operatives promptly shut the main gate, an action which prevented workers, lawmakers and other visitors to the National Assembly from either entering or leaving the Assembly complex.

    Determined to have their way the protesters formed a circle around the main gate to convey their demands.

    Armed with placards containing various inscriptions, the protesters insisted to seal off the National Assembly for at least the initial three days of their protest.

    They vowed that they would only call off their protest when their demands were met.

    The protesters also vowed to resume a permanent protest, occupy and paralyze activities at the National Assembly if all their demands were met.

    Some of the placard displayed by the activists read: “Return exotic cars, “Saraki must go,” legislator stop budget padding,” Enough is enough.”

    The leader of the group, Mr. Sadiq Jidda insisted that “Saraki must resign.”

    He noted that the continued stay of Saraki as the Senate President is no longer in the interest of the country.

    He said, “What does a legislator has to do with projects? We are gathered here to occupy National Assembly. Senate President should immediately resign. Saraki’s integrity is in question and he been indicted. Yes, he has not been convicted but his integrity is in question.”

    Another group which also protested in favour Saraki said that those asking Saraki to resign did not mean well for the country.

    The leader of the pro Saraki group, Solomon Adodo insisted that those calling for the resignation of Saraki should be ignored.

    Adodo noted that the emerging negative trend must be fought by all lovers of democracy.

    He said that the tenet of democracy must not be compromised.

    Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, described that action of the anti-Saraki group as “dangerous for our democracy.”

    He said; “That is why we are not saying anything about them because what is happening out there is a very dangerous precedence that we are trying to set.

    “Nigerians and you the press will have to help to define rights, Know that where your rights end, my own starts.

    “I contested to be senator of Borno South, I did not force myself on my people and therefore somebody out there especially the one that did not elect me cannot force me out because I didn’t come in by force.

    “I came in by ballot, not by gun, not by placard I have posters but not placards. So if for example am short of performance and my constituents feel that they didn’t have time to waste there is a clear cut process, collect signatures, ask for me to be recalled, that is the democratic way not by coming in here to stand and say you want to occupy NASS.

    “If you occupy NASS to do what, to be leader or to be senator, it doesn’t work that way. If you strongly feel that Ndume is not doing well to represent southern Borno next time if you are up to 35 you just go and contest and defeat the man and come here and do better.”

     

  • Photos: Saraki protesters storm National Assembly

    Photos: Saraki protesters storm National Assembly

    protest 3

     

    Saraki Protest

     

    Saraki Protester

    Saraki Protesters

  • Power outage cripples National Assembly

    The National Assembly complex was yesterday hit by a debilitating power outage that crippled legislative and commercial activities at the complex.

    Mostly affected were the Senate and House of Representatives committee rooms and the lobby which were thrown into darkness.

    As the outage lasted, commercial activities including banking transactions, were disrupted..

    Also affected was a public hearing on the Nigerian Railway Corporation Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2015 holding in the Senate wing of the complex.

    Participants at the public hearing which was earlier inaugurated by Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, resorted to hand fans when the cooling system in the hearing room stopped due to the power outage.

    It was not clear the cause of the outage which also occurred on Friday, 22 April 2016 for several hours.

    A source however attributed the problem to aging generating sets which he said ought to have been replaced.

    He also said that “acute shortage of diesel” to power the generators was an issue.

    Power outage at the National Assembly, he said, is “likely to continue because the generating sets are getting weak by the day due to over use.”

    He noted that “generators that were installed to serve as alternative sources of energy have become the only means to power and light the National Assembly every day.”

    He said that it should be expected that “with constant use the generators will become weak no matter how you service them.”

    Yesterday’s outage which started around 2.30pm was only restored around 5.20pm when most of the workers and few legislators who were around had left the complex in frustration pleaded with Justice Auta to review the decision. The Chief Judge, thereafter, returned the case file to Justice Ekwo, who has now found Daudu guilty of the 77 counts.”

  • Ndume assures on 2016 budget

    Ndume assures on 2016 budget

    Senate Leader, Alhaji Muhammad Ndume, on Monday assured that the impasse between the presidency and the National Assembly on the 2016 budget would soon be resolved.

    Ndume, representing Borno South, told newsmen in Maiduguri that the resolution was to allow the country to move forward.

    He said that the National Assembly was not in conflict with President Muhammadu Buhari on the budget.

    “Nigerians should know that the National Assembly does not have any conflict with the president on the budget, but we might have minor disagreement.

    “The major challenge that the National Assembly has is not disagreement with the president.

    “The challenge that we have is how to do what the president is asking us to do within the law,’’ Ndume said.

    According to him, disagreement between legislative and executive arms of government is normal in a democratic system.

    “Disagreement between the legislature and executive is normal. The executive prepare the budget and present it to the legislature for processing and the legislature sends it back for assent after processing.

    “Usually, the president takes a look at it and if he is comfortable with it, he signs and if he not comfortable, he takes note of the areas and sends it to the legislature for ratification.

    “This is where we are now, but the unfortunate thing is that because of the change in government, the attitudes of Nigerians have also changed, which is normal.

    “Nigerians are so anxious because Buhari is a new president they are expecting so much from; they are expecting to see changes quickly,’’ Ndume said.

    The Senate Leader recalled that the National Assembly had similar disagreement with past presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan on budgets during their tenure.

    He said that the leadership of the National Assembly would hold a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari this week in Abuja towards ending the impasse.

    “The leadership of the National Assembly will sit down and talk to the president on the issue this week,” Ndume said.

    He said that the meeting was earlier slated for last week but was shifted due to some unforeseen circumstances.

    “We were supposed to have met last week, but we shifted the meeting to this week due to some factors,’’ Ndume said.

  • National Assembly soft pedals on budget

    National Assembly soft pedals on budget

    The chairman of the Appropriation committee of the Senate, Senator Danjuma Goje and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, have appealed to their colleagues in the National Assembly to reopen discussion on the 2016 budget.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, last week sent his observations and requests on the  Appropriation Bill, as passed by the National Assembly, to the lawmakers.

    In a jointly signed statement yesterday, Goje and Jibrin, said: “Given the foregoing, and all factors considered, we hereby state that we have had enough controversy over the 2016 budget.

    “What is needful right now is a resolution of the differences and to that end, we call on our colleagues in the National Assembly to accede to the request by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, to have a second look at the details and make the necessary adjustments so that he can assent. This, in our opinion, should not go beyond this week.”

    The committee chairmen regretted what they described as a deluge of misinformation, misrepresentation and innuendoes about the roles played by the appropriation committees in the two legislative chambers in the course of passing the controversial budget.

    “Even though most of the allegations, especially those specifically levelled against the two of us, as chairmen of the committee, are unfounded, we intend to respond to them at the appropriate time.”

    The statement went on: “For now, what we consider important is to resolve the impasse around the budget and get it assented to so that its implementation can begin in the interest of all Nigerians.

    “However, we must put it on record that the details aggregated and transmitted to the executive are largely the inputs we received from the standing committees of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.”

    The two lawmakers said consultations were already ongoing between the executive and the legislature on the document returned by President Buhari.

    “A debate about who is right or wrong is unhelpful in the circumstance; and in any case, does not advance the cause of our country men and women whose interest we have been elected to serve.

    “Nevertheless, we must commend President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and the entire members of the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council, the minister of Budget and the budget team for their cooperation even as we assure all Nigerians that we will do everything to protect and defend their interest, at all times,” the statement added.

  • Saraki rejects Sani-Omolori’s appointment as NASS clerk

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Friday rejected the appointment of Mr. Mohammed Sani-Omolori as Acting Clerk of the National Assembly.

    Saraki asked that Sani-Omolori’s letter of appointment be withdrawn immediately as his promotion did not follow due process.

    He said Mr. Benedict Efeturi who is Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly and who has previously acted as the Clerk of the National Assembly ought to have been “ the first to be considered” for the position.

    The Senate President in an April 22 memo titled: “Withdrawal of letter of appointment of Acting Clerk of the National Assembly” to the Executive Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission, Dr. Adamu M. Fika, wondered why the Commission ignored the directive that it should follow due process and ensure that seniority is considered in the appointment of a new clerk of the National Assembly.

    Mr. Sani-Omolori was appointed on Tuesday to replace Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa who is scheduled to proceed on terminal leave on May 14.

    Since the appointment of Omolori, tongues have been wagging over why seniority was not followed in the appointment.

    Saraki in the memo signed by his chief of staff, Isa Galaudu, said: “Please recall that during your last meeting with the President of the Senate on April 20, 2016, the procedure of the appointment of the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly was discussed.

    “The Commission was directed to follow due process and ensure that seniority is adhered to. Of course, Mr. Benedict Efeturi who is Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly and who has previously acted as the Clerk of the National Assembly should be the first to be considered.

    “Most importantly, you have been directed to confer with the President of the Senate the outcome of the Commission’s meeting before a letter of appointment is issued and regrettably that did not happen.

    “The President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives were informed that Mr. Efeturi was not considered for the appointment because he was not duly appointed as Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly. On further enquiries, we found he was duly appointed by the National Assembly Service Commission.

    “Consequently, I am directed by His Excellency, the President of the Senate, to inform you that the letter appointing Mr. Sani Omolori as Acting Clerk of the National Assembly be withdrawn immediately for further consultations.”

  • National Assembly, NESREA, MAN, others collaborate on goods production designs

    National Assembly, NESREA, MAN, others collaborate on goods production designs

    The National Environmental Standards and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is collaborating with the National Assembly and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility Programme (EPR).

    EPR is designed to promote the integration of environmental costs of goods throughout their life cycles.

    It will make the manufacturers of products responsible for the entire life-cycle of the commodity, especially for their take-back recycling and final disposal.

    It also means that a producer of an article should be able to know about the life cycle of such product, how it is used and how it can be recycled. The programme process would give manufacturers responsibility to know the final stage of any given product manufactured.

    NESREA’s Director-General Mr. Lawrence Anukam, confirmed that the agency has developed guidelines for  the programme.

    Expressing appreciation to the NASS for showing a lot of political will in making sure that the EPR takes off, he said the agency was working with MAN to make sure that the EPR takes off smoothly.

    “It is a very good programme and I call on all Nigerians to support it. It is going to create wealth; it is going to make our environment cleaner, and at the same time it is going to make the industry, the manufacturer of that product to know exactly how it can create new designs that can last longer and create less problems on the environment. So, it is a win-win situation for all involved in it,” Anukam said.

    Stating that the collaboration would strengthen and enhance the implementation of the programme, the NESREA helmsman called on the private sector to play a key role in the implementation of the programme.

    “It is necessary that EPR programme comes on board and it needs to be advanced. It is part of the regulations and the law is already there. The programme is an initiative that will control waste, it is also an initiative that will generate waste and we all know that waste is wealth,’’ Anukam added.