The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Reps

  • Reps to probe BEDC over Ondo community’s blackout, bills

    The House of Representatives has asked   the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to explain the disconnection of three Federal constituencies – Ilaje/Esa Odo, Okitipupa/Irele and Odigbo/Ileoluji/Okeibo in Ondo State – for 15 months without explanations.

    The lawmakers were also surprised at BEDC’s continued demand for bills.

    Kolade Akinjo (PDP, Ondo) and four others, in a motion yesterday, noted that despite being disconnected by BEDC for 15 months, the monthly bills had been consistently presented to the consumers.

    The House mandated its Committee on Power, when constituted, to interface with BEDC and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) over the prolonged disconnection and the bills.

    The committee was given four weeks to report back for further legislative action.

    Akinjo regretted that despite the huge investments by the Federal Government to boost power supply, majority of households in the country still grappled with blackout almost daily.

    He said: “It is worrisome that the continued blackout in the affected areas for that length of time has brought untold hardship to the inhabitants; it has paralysed business activities.

    “This has left the people with no other choice but to resort to buying fuel to power their generators.

    “The prevailing situation has adversely affected the social well-being of the people, created security challenges, which have led to an increase in crime rate.

    “It is, however, regrettable and absurd that despite the blackout, the people are still being asked to pay regular monthly bills for electricity that was not supplied.”

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

  • Reps to IGP: reopen Dele Giwa, Ige, Rewane, other killings

    Reps to IGP: reopen Dele Giwa, Ige, Rewane, other killings

    House of Representatives yesterday directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr. Solomon Arase to reopen investigations into unresolved cases of high profile political and extra-judicial killings in the country.

    The purpose of the reopening, according to the House, was to bring the culprits of the unresolved killings to justice.

    The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of the prayers of a motion by a member, Kingsley ChindaIn, entitled: “Need to Undertake Further Investigations into Cases of Extra-Judicial Killings and Other High Profile Murders”.

    When the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, called for a vote, the motion which was overwhelmingly supported by members and consequently adopted by the House, was referred to the committees on Police Affairs, Public Safety and National Security (when constituted).

    The committees are to monitor the investigations of the cases and present an interim report to the House within four weeks.

    Chinda, while presenting the motion, noted that the extrajudicial killings were allegedly being carried out by men of the police and personnel of some other security agencies as well as unknown gunmen.

    The lawmaker urged the police to be more alive to their responsibilities in the prevention of crimes and proper investigation.

    Chinda expressed concern that the efforts of successive governments in tackling the problem of extrajudicial and other high-profile killings had largely been ineffectual and short of the expectations of Nigerians.

    According to him, people now live in fear and despair because the trend had continued unabated.

    Chinda said the several cases of extra-judicial and unsolved killings in the country included the killings of Dele Giwa, Alfred Rewane, Bola Ige and Funso Williams as well as some traders at Apo (popularly known as Apo Six), invasion by mobile policemen and armed soldiers of Ogoni land and Odi community in Bayelsa and others.

  • Reps to FG: Reopen schools in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa

    The House of Representatives on Thursday directed the Federal Government to reopen schools closed in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States following the activities of the Boko Haram sect.

    The resolution was sequel to the passage of a motion sponsored on the floor of the House by Hon.  Asabe Vilita Bashir, representing Gwoza/Chibok Federal Constituency of Borno State.

    Bashir while arguing the motion titled: “Urgent Need For The Government To Relocate Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) From Schools in Borno State To Enable Schools Reopen,” said the Boko Haram insurgency had been going on since 2009 and that it overran 20 out of 27 local government councils in the state at its peak.

    According to her, millions of people lost their ancestral homes, their pride and identity due to the insurgency in the state.

    She said: “The government of Borno State had to resettle the internally displaced persons in schools, Hajj and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps, an action that led to the closure of schools for over one year now, leaving the students to be idling away and exposed to social vices.”

     

  • Reps to Buhari: Make Jonathan’s handover note public

    THE House of Representatives has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to make public the handover notes of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The lawmakers said public display of the document would allow Nigerians the knowledge of the state of the nation as at May 29.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of prayers of a motion by Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP, Abia), who noted that the public knowledge of such document is in tune with the transparency and accountability posturing of Buhari’s administration.

    The lawmakers urged the presidency to publish the handover note as well as accompanying documents of the former administration in the official gazette of the Federation, except information restricted by law.

    They said it would enable interested Nigerians and other residents access it for information and record purposes.

    The lawmakers also demanded for copies of the handover note for all members of the National Assembly to enable them determine, individually or collectively, the state of the nation as at May 29.

    In his argument, Nkem-Abonta said it was only officials of the Presidency that have access to the document because of certain extant laws.

    He, however, explained that it was worrisome that Federal lawmakers, most of whom are new to the legislative business, require authentic information to ascertain the actual state of the nation, without which they might not be able to perform their legislative functions effectively.

    In his contribution, Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the transparency and accountability issues raised by the motion could not be faulted.

    He, however, noted that the motion was not necessary as the constitution had provisions on how lawmakers can access such documents.

    He also stated that a Transition Act,  as done in countries like Kenya can assuage the fears entertained by the mover of the motion so that details of activities of a government necessary for public consumption would be made available.

    Deputy Whip Pally Iriase said such documents should not be made public, considering the precarious security situation in the country.

    According to him, anyone interested in the document can get it through Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.

    The argument against the motion was countered by Minority Leader Leo Ogor, Tajudeen Yusuf (PDP, Kogi) and others, who explained that the motion was in total support of transparency and accountability crusade of the government.

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

     

  • Confusion reigns over House of Reps leadership crisis

    Confusion reigns over House of Reps leadership crisis

     • Dogara, Gbajabiamila groups in claims and counter claims

    The crisis in the House of Representatives over the sharing of principal positions in the Green Chambers of the National Assembly remained cloudy last night after claims and counter claims about the resolution of the stalemate.

    The camp of Speaker Yakubu Dogara sparked the latest standoff after announcing that the crisis had been resolved with the Femi Gbajabiamila group accepting the sharing formula proposed by the Speaker.

    Details of the sharing unveiled by Abdulmumin Jibrin are: Alhassan Ado Doguwa (APC Kano, North West) as House Leader; Buba Jibrin (APC Kogi, North Central) as Deputy Leader; Pally Iriase (APC Edo, South South) as Chief Whip; and Chika Okafor (APC Imo, South East) as Deputy Chief Whip.

    “Interestingly, both the Speaker and a great majority of the APC caucus in the House including gladiators in the Gbajabiamila’s group like Mongunu, Doguwa and Pally support and stand by the Equity Team,” Jibrin said.

    “We have commenced collection of signatures which has reached advanced stage to affirm the Dogara Formula. All other interests, including those excluded from the principal officers specifically Gbajabiamila and Mongunu will be duly accommodated with commensurate responsibility to serve. Since the Speaker has about 200 positions to share out, many members will have the opportunity to serve the country.

    “In light of this development, it is heart-warming to announce to you that the disagreement in the house, which many have erroneously labelled as crisis, has finally come to an end?.”

    Three of Gbajabiamila’s supporters – Mohammad Monguno (Northeast) , Alhassan Doguwa (Northwest) and Pally Iriase (Southsouth)- announced their acceptance of Dogara’s proposal.

    But in a swift reaction, Gbajabiamila’s loyalists denied that they had reached an agreement with Dogara.

    Their spokesman, Nasiru Zangon-Daura, in a terse statement, denied “any purported endorsement of a so-called formula.”

    “Any member of our group who claims to be part of this arrangement acts on his own and not on behalf of the group,” he declared.

    At stake are the positions of House leader, deputy House leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip.

    The party had written to Dogara that Gbajabiamila be made House leader but Dogara rejected the directive.

    The Speaker’s camp is insisting that the Northeast and the Southwest having already got the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker cannot be accommodated in the sharing of the remaining four positions.

    The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun had, on Friday summoned Speaker Dogara ostensibly on resolving the deadlock.

    There were suggestions that Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun from Osun State was being prevailed upon to step down.

    On the same day Gbajabiamila was at the State House, Abuja to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He emerged from the meeting to dash to the party’s National Secretariat to see Chief Odigie-Oyegun on the same matter.

    The House has been enmeshed in crisis since the June 9 election of Dogara and Lasun as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.

    It is scheduled to resume sitting on Tuesday, a week later than it originally proposed.

     

  • Reps raise alarm over EFCC’s invitation of Saraki’s wife

    Reps raise alarm over EFCC’s invitation of Saraki’s wife

    A group within the House of Representatives has kicked against the invitation of wife of the Senate President Mrs. Toyin Saraki for appearance on July 28 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

    In a statement in Abuja by Hon. Umar Buba Jibril (Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency) and Hon. Muhammad Kabiru Ajanah (Okehi/Adavi federal Constituency) on behalf of 25 other lawmakers in the Green chamber, the group described the sudden invitation of Mrs. Saraki by the anti-graft agency as highly suspicious.

    It said while it will continue to encourage the EFCC to carry out its legal mandate, it was optimistic that the anti-graft body “will not lend itself as a tool to propagate the political agenda of any person or group.”

    The Reps members added that it holds strongly that the days of using the EFCC to harass and intimidate political opponents are gone for good.

    According to them: “We must never return to that dark and dangerous side in our polity.”

    They expressed concern that the leadership of the National Assembly is being targeted for unnecessary harassment using state institutions.

    The statement titled: “Curious EFCC invitation of Barr. Toyin Saraki” reads: “We the concerned Members of the House of Representatives have followed the recent trend of political intrigues since the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as the Senate President.

    “We are acutely aware that certain power blocks are determined to use any means to mount pressure on the Senate President. It is in light of this that we view the recent sudden invitation of the wife of the Senate President, Barrister Toyin Saraki, by the EFCC with a high degree of suspicion.

    “We observe that Senator Bukola Saraki was in office as Governor of Kwara State for eight years from 2003 – 2011. He left that office over four years ago.

    “In this period of 12 years, not once has any mention been made of his wife as being involved in anything untoward. It is therefore very curious timing that this “invitation” by EFCC is suddenly raised.”

     

  • Reps head for court as Dogara okays Doguwa as House Leader

    Reps head for court as Dogara okays Doguwa as House Leader

    There seems to be no end in sight in the battle for the post of principal officers in the House of Representatives, as members of the  Dogara Group, under the Consolidation Group,  yesterday named their choices for principal officers.

    The announcement coincided with the revelation that two members of the House have filed a suit against Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

    The members, Hon Abubakar Lado Abdullahi (APC, Niger) and Hon. Olajide Abdul Jimoh (APC, Lagos),  filed the suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    They prayed the court to grant an order retraining the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuf; Clerk of the House, Sani Muhammed Omolori from preventing the announcement of the list of principal officers forwarded by the APC to the Speaker as representatives of the party on the Body of Principal Officers of the House.

    The Nation learnt that all the defendants have been served a copy of the originating summons as at Thursday last week.

    The APC lawmakers in the Originating Summon asked the court to determine whether Section 14 of the Nigerian constitution (as amended) on federal character applies to the internal workings of the National Assembly and, in particular, the House of Representatives, particularly with respect to the appointment of principal officers and especially the positions of Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Majority Chief Whip, and Majority Deputy Chief Whip.

    The Dogare group, in a statement  yesterday, adopted Alhassan Ado Doguwa from the Northwest as House Leader, Buba Jibrin from the Northcentral as Deputy House Leader, Pally Iriase from the Southsouth as Chief Whip and Chika Okafor, from the Southeast, as Deputy Chief Whip.

    The group, in the statement signed by Abdulmumin Jibrin, said:  “Heavens will not fall if Gbajabiamila is not made House Leader.

    “Consequently, we, the Consolidation Group, have adopted Alhassan Ado Doguwa from Northwest as House Leader, Buba Jibrin from Northcentral as Deputy House Leader, Pally Iriase from Southsouth as Chief Whip and Chika Okafor from Southeast as Deputy Chief Whip.

    “ We, therefore, call on our supporters to intensify lobbying at the zonal caucuses to ensure that these members emerge to assume the positions. Kindly note that Alhassan Doguwa is head of the Gbajabiamila’s Group while Pally Iriase was in the race for Speaker but stepped down for Gbajabiamila and assumed an prominent role in the Gbajabiamila’s Group.

    The group called on the party to disregard the letter purportedly written by the Gbajabiamila Group, “which we know contemptuously emanated from the duo of Gbajabiamila and ]Falake without consultation with the APC caucus in the House, many of whom are support Dogara, his peace efforts and proposal for distribution of principal officers.”

     

  • Reps to be subjected to stricter ethical rules

    Reps to be subjected to stricter ethical rules

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu   Dogara has inuaguarated a panel to prepare a document to  deter and sanction unethical behaviours by members .

    According to him, the move  became more expedient as the lawmakers were expected to contribute to wider efforts in promoting  good governance and preventing  corruption.

    The Speaker noted that whether at plenary or Committees , lawmakers must be transparent and accountable to prevent distortion of facts.

    Dogara spoke yesterday while inaugurating two ad hoc committees on Code of Conduct and Media.

    Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yussuf, the Speaker stressed that members of the 8th House must subject themselves to a code of conduct.

    Dogara explained that the decision to constitute the Code of conduct ad hoc Committee was hinged on the fact that by its  very nature, legislative activities, whether in plenary or in Committee, should be accessible to the general public.

    The eight – member code of conduct ad hoc Committee is chaired by  Aminu Shagari to be asssited by Nicholas Ossai and  Abubakar Amuda-Kannike Garba among others.

    Former President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists  (NUJ), Sani Zoro chairs the nine – member ad hoc committee on  Media.

    He said: “In a constitutional democracy, parliamentary activities are subject to the citizens’ scrutiny and assessment.

    “It is all the more necessary to adequately inform the public since parliament holds a central position in the functioning of a participatory government of the people.

    “In Nigeria today, the activities and the work of the National Assembly are often vague to citizens and sometimes completely misunderstood. When there is inadequate knowledge of parliamentary work, it often leads to cynicism, doubt, mistrust and general apathy which is not healthy in a democracy.

    “Furthermore, it leads to grave distortion of facts and sometimes outright falsehoods”.

    The terms of reference of the Committee amongst others include ensuring that members demonstrate high standards of ethics consistent with the important roles of law making, representation and oversight of the Executive branch of government.

    Enhance the level of trust by the General public in the political system in general, and in parliaments and their members in particular, which will contribute to improving the status and image of the Legislature in Nigeria.

    Implement the provisions of Article 8 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, which provides for the development of ‘Codes of Conduct for Public Officials.

    The Sani Zoro-led committee on Media is to speak on all official matters of the House.

  • Leadership crisis deepens as Reps caucuses kick

    Leadership crisis deepens as Reps caucuses kick

    The leadership crisis in the House of Representatives worsened yesterday, as All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the Northcentral and Southeast caucuses kicked against the nominations for Principal Officers.

    The Northcentral Caucus, in a statement by Haman Pategi, said the party  usurped the power of the zonal caucuses by sending the names to the leadership of the House.

    The statement reads: “The Northcentral Caucus of the APC  in the House of Representatives has observed with dismay the position of the party regarding the purported choice of Principal Officers by the APC party leadership.

    “It views strongly the total exclusion of the Northcentral Zone of the party from principal positions in the Eighth Assembly.

    “We view with utter disbelief and amazement the purported letter published in the media that the party’s position was taken after due consultation, when infact, we were never consulted as a caucus.”

    The caucus said it was amazed by the directive of the party to the leadership of the House “ to take necessary action on the purported choice made by the party, which we see as a clear usurpation of the powers of the zonal caucuses as guaranteed by the Constitution and the standing Rules of the House of Representatives.

    “We, therefore, strongly reject the purported selection by the party, which we see as being in conflict with the principle of federal character as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic.”

    Similarly, APC lawmakers in the House from the Southeast Caucus yesterday expressed displeasure at the Principal Officers’ list from the party, saying they had been left out of equation.

    Speaking on the same issue yesterday, Chukwukere Austine Ikechukwu, representing Ideato North/South of Imo State, lamented the situation, saying it was unacceptable.

    “Many of you will recall that in a few days now, it has been awash in the press that the party has distributed the remaining positions in the leadership of the National Assembly, especially with regards to the House of Representatives.

    “And in that arrangement, whether it is true or false, nothing is zoned to the Southeast. And we believe that in the spirit of national character, in the spirit of good connection to the rest of Nigeria, in the spirit of making us belong, in the spirit of ensuring that equity and justice is done, there is no way the leadership of the party will distribute positions of leadership of the National Assembly without giving a slot to the Southeast.”

    Ikechukwu, who was at the briefing with another member, Chile Okafor, said the zone rejected the decision of the party and  called on the party leadership to ensure that equity was served.

    Also on Tuesday, the Southsouth Caucus in the House-led by Pally Iriase,  rejected the proposal of the party, saying they were not consulted.

    In a June 23 letter addressed to the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, the APC sent a list of names approved as Principal Officers.

    Femi Gbajabiamila (Southwest) was chosen as the Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa (Northwest,  Deputy Majority leader, M.T. Monguno (Northeast), Chief Whip; and Pally Iriase (Southsouth) was pencilled down as Deputy Chief Whip.

  • Reps pass PIB, 10 reports, others on last day

    Reps pass PIB, 10 reports, others on last day

    THE Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has been passed by the House of Representatives on the last day of the Seventh House of Representatives.

    After the passage of 11 reports and 14 of 15 bills sent for concurrence by the Senate, the House adjourned sine die (indefinitely), barring any unforeseen circumstance.

    The Oil and Gas Export Free Zone  Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 passed by the Senate was deleted from the 15 bills sent for concurrence.

    The House said there was a need for further scrutiny of the Bill due to its importance on the nation’s economy.

    The others scaled second and third reading following the suspension of relevant House Rules.

    Taking a cue from the backlash that followed the passage of 46 Bills within minutes by the Senate the previous day, Acting Speaker Emeka Ihedioha said the House must go through the right legislative procedure to pass the bills.

    According to him, it was lack of understanding of legislative procedures that resulted in the editorial headlines that greeted Senates passage of the Bills.

    He said the Senate was in order but that the House would take its time to ensure that relevant procedures were adhered to.

    “It is important the people understand us and that is why we need to explain how we arrived at this juncture.

    “What the House is going to do is not unusual, but if any member has a reservation about a particular bill sent for concurrence from the Senate, it is to raise it so that we defer it and pass the rest,” he said.

    Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business Albert Sam-Tsokwa said time was not on the side of House but that the House is empowered to suspend relevant rules to address such issue when it occurs.

    The bills include the Nigerian Army Institute of Technology and Environmental Studies (Establishment) Bill, National Social Welfare Commission (Establishment) Bill, Labour Safety and Health Bill, Acts Authentication Act, 1962 (Amendment) Bill and Nigerian Football Association Act, Cap. N110, LFN, 2004 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill.

    Others are Corporate Manslaughter Bill, 2015; Animal Health and Husbandry Technologists (Registration) Bill, 2015; Criminal Justice (Release from custody) (Special provisions) Amendment Bill, 2015; Border Communities Development Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2015; Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2015; Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (Fiscal Incentives, Assurances and Guarantees) Bill, 2015; Engineers (Registration, etc) Amendment Bill, 2015 and Proceeds of Crime Bill, 2015.

    The bills scaled second and third readings successfully, except one that was deleted.

    The 422-clause PIB was also passed after the House ad hoc panel had realigned contentious clauses that had caused several suspensions of the consideration of the bill.

    However, no lawmaker opposed the solution found to the contentious clauses by the ad hoc panel as consideration continued from clause 347 to 422.

    On the passage of the PIB, Ihedioha said: “We took deliberate steps in passing the third reading of nine bills. These were done painstakingly.

    “On PIB, we took our time with an ad hoc committee that was in all the geo-political zones.

    “These actions were taken because we believe we have one Nigeria.

    “Now, the bulk of the job is left for the Senate, but if they cannot deal with it, we believe that the 8th Assembly would know the extent of work that has gone into it.

    Ten other reports were also considered and passed.

    At the end of the day’s business, Ihedioha asked the House Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola to move for the adjournment of plenary sine die  (indefinitely) barring any unforeseen circumstance.

    He said the life of the 7th House would terminate on Saturday, June 6, 2015