The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Saraki

  • Saraki greets Muslims at Eid el Maulud

    Saraki greets Muslims at Eid el Maulud

    President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has congratulated Muslim faithful on the celebration of Eid el Maulud, which is principally to commemorate the birthday of Holy Prophet Muhammad.

    Saraki, who is the Baba Adinni of Ansar-ul-Islam Worldwide, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, thanked all Muslims across the country for their steadfastness and prayers for the peace and unity of the country.

    He urged them to use the solemn moment afforded by this holiday to visit their neighbours and donate valuable gifts to the needy.

    The statement said: “I rejoice with all Muslims on this auspicious day which marks a significant epoch in the annals of humanity. On this day, the great Prophet of Allah was born.

    “To me, there is no better way to make this day memorable in our families and communities, than for us to embrace one another with love as brothers and sisters.

    “While I acknowledge your prayers so far, I want to enjoin us not to rest on oars. With prayers we can count on Allah’s divine intervention to help us surmount any kind of difficulty we may be experiencing in our lives as individuals and as a country.

    “Let us further commit to peace and orderly conduct in all our dealings by allowing the spirit of sacrifice to rule our hearts as epitomized by the Holy Prophet. I believe that peace and unity is the foundation on which we can build an edifice of progress and development as a nation. If we all follow the lessons in the holy Quran and the Hadith of the Holy Prophet, our society will be better and conducive for all to thrive.”

     

  • Jonathan not prepared for leadership, says Saraki

    Jonathan not prepared for leadership, says Saraki

    Senate President Bukola Saraki said yesterday that former President Goodluck Jonathan was not prepared for leadership.

    He, however, described him as a man who never wanted to unnecessarily cling on to power.

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima lampooned the ex-President for his inaction when the Chibok schoolgirls were abducted.

    He said the former President almost removed him from office as a result of the girls’ abduction but for the intervention of a former Attorney-General of the Federation Mohammed Bello (SAN) and a former Minister of Special Duties Tanimu Turaki.

    They spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of the book: “On a Platter of Gold: How Jonathan won and lost Nigeria,” written by a former Minister of Sports, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi.

    The book reviews the Jonathan administration from February 9, 2010 to May 29, 2015.

    Saraki said: “I like to share one or two things that will probably summarise the former President Jonathan. I remember when I was then senator and I came across this issue of fuel subsidy and the way the country was losing close to about N1.3 trillion.

    “In the history of this country, I don’t think of any singular kind of level of corruption as huge as that. I had a motion already, I wanted to present on the floor of the Senate. I felt as a member of the ruling party at that time, it was only proper I discussed it with the President (first) maybe some action can be taken so that I could step down the motion. I booked an appointment to see Mr. President, I went with my paper, I started with the background of how people brought in petroleum products. I said Mr. President, in the past, people used to get award letters from NNPC to bring in PMS, DPK, and make 10, 20 per cent profit.

    “I said sir, they’ve taken it to another level. Now, they get an order to bring in products they don’t want to make 10 or 20 per cent any more. They will get an offer to bring in a cargo of 20,000 litres, they will bring in 5,000 litres to be stamped for 20,000 litres and instead of making 10  per cent, they make ten times the amount. I was telling the President thinking the President would get very agitated. But Jonathan said: ‘Senator Saraki, you know this oil business is very oily.’

    “I was stunned and taken aback but in a way, that was Jonathan in a way; that was who he is.  And if you look at the second encounter … I felt that I didn’t want Jonathan to hear it as news, I booked an appointment to go and see him – I didn’t know what I was thinking that day. I went to the Villa. He said ‘come in, come in, how can I help you?’ I looked at the President of a third world country and said Mr. President I came to tell you that I am going to be contesting for your seat. Jonathan looked at me and said ‘oh, okay, good luck, good luck.’

    “If it were any other person, maybe I would  not have left the Villa but that again sums up Goodluck Jonathan. I think it is Nigerians that produce the kind of leaders we get. No matter what you say about him, I don’t think he was someone who was desperate for power. He was not someone that was prepared for leadership. Yes by misfortune or fortune, I keep on saying, we all know the right things but we don’t do it. We find ourselves sometimes blaming individuals and blaming others than ourselves.”

    Some of those at the launch were Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed(Kwara);  a former Speaker of the House of Representatives Ghali Na’aba; a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore; National Chairman of APC Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; Minister of Mines and Steel Development Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Minister of Communication Mr. Adebayo Shittu;  ex-Governor Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; Executive Secretary of NEITI Mr. Waziri Adio; ex-Minister of FCT Dr. Aliyu Modibbo; Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly Ali Ahmed; members of the APC National Working Committee and a former National Chairman of PDP Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje.

    Shettima described Dr. Jonathan as a clueless leader and unsophisticated country person.

    He also reiterated that Jonathan doubted the abduction of over 200 Chibok girls and was nonchalant.

    He said Jonathan surrounded himself with an assorted crop of religious bigots and tribal kings unlike ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo who believes in the Nigerian project.

    Notwithstanding, he said Jonathan should be commended for conceding defeat and saving the nation from the precipice.

    He, however, said Nigeria needs good governance and not restructuring.

    “It goes without saying that the stewardship of Dr. Jonathan was such a turbulent period in our national life and will continue to shape for good or for bad, the fortunes of our country.

    “The lesson for us, therefore, as a political class is that we must at all time, place the national interest above all other considerations and must assiduously work to build a national consensus. Not everyone will agree with the recollections of the events of that very interesting period of our national life or the manner of presentation.

    “I hope that this book will inspire others to give their own account, history and perspectives as well as opinion of this and other period of our unfolding political history. The fortune of this country is our hands.”

    Shettima, who was the chairman of the launch, regaled a stunned audience with how Jonathan mismanaged the abduction of Chibok girls by Boko Haram.

    Instead of acting, Jonathan ordered that the Principal of the Government Secondary School, Chibok should be locked up by the then Inspector-General of Police Mr. Mohammed Yusuf.

    He added: “Sadly, Borno was the epicentre of the whole crisis that engulfed the Jonathan administration.

    “I wasn’t invited to Abuja until nearly three weeks later and even when I was invited, I was happy that at last, I was getting the attention of my leader. I was asked to come to Abuja with the Commissioner of Police, the DPO in Chibok, the Commissioner of  Education, the military commander in Chibok and the Director of SSS in Borno.

    “We were all ushered in to the Villa and sadly when the President came in, he was still in the world of make-believe. He started threatening the principal that he should tell him where the girls were. He was shouting, ‘Principal, you must tell me where those girls are, Commissioner of Police, you must know where the girls are’.

    “He immediately ordered the arrest of the Principal, the DPO, the Commissioner of Police and the Director of SSS, that they must produce the girls. In this very unfortunate saga, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, the Inspector-General of Police, arrested them, took them to the police headquarters and told them he cannot hold onto them because he was a man of conscience. He let them go on self-recognition.

    “I was quite taken aback because I thought the solution was going to be found to a very grave national challenge. Instead, the President was still of the mindset that those girls were not abducted.”

  • Nigeria can do better in tackling security challenges – Saraki

    Nigeria can do better in tackling security challenges – Saraki

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday, said that he is convinced beyond all reasonable doubt that country can do far better to address security challenges facing it.

    Although Saraki acknowledged that the current administration has done well in its efforts to address the security challenges in parts of the country, he noted that it is obvious that the country can still do better.

    The Senate President spoke while inaugurating the ad-hoc committee charged with the duty to review the current security infrastructure of the country in the face of rising incidences of security breaches.

    The Senator Ahmed Lawan led committee is to work in consultation with security agencies.

    Saraki said that funding challenges inhibiting the operation of security agencies would be addressed in the 2018 budget.

    He lamented that the recent attacks in Adamawa and Zamfara States where dozens of lives and property were lost, are unacceptable incidences too many.

    He insisted that as far as Nigerians are still losing their lives and property through unwarranted attacks, there is still work to do.

    The committee, Saraki said, should work to provide answers to critical questions and issues which include the clamour for state police, technology, funding, collaboration among security agencies, role of traditional and community leaders, among others.

    He believed that the ad-hoc committee provides an opportunity for security agents who know what can be done differently, but are hampered by the system to speak up and proffer workable solutions.

    Chairman of the committee and Senate Leader Lawan, in his opening remarks noted that the Muhammadu Buharied administration is committed to fixing the security challenges which it inherited.

    He commended the armed forces for their hard work, gallantry and patriotism in the fight against Boko Haram.

    Lawan said, “The administration has shown commitment and determination to stamp out the various security challenges it inherited.

    “There are still security breaches in different parts of the country that occur from time to time. This has assumed a worrisome dimension. Nigerians are killed and properties are lost. There are still security breaches in parts of the country which has assumed worrisome dimension.

    “The spate of suicide bombings, kidnapping are all issues that should be addressed. This committee has been saddled with the responsibility of finding improved security infrastructure that will assist the country to address its security challenges.”

    Apart from Lawan, other members of the committee include Senators Abdullahi Yahaya, Joshua Lidani, Abubakar Kyari, Biodun Olujimi, Rose Oko, Mohammed Sabo, Baba Kaka Garbai.

    Read Also: Nigeria needs courageous leadership now, says Saraki

  • Why Nigeria is facing hurdles on retrieval of looted funds, by Saraki

    Why Nigeria is facing hurdles on retrieval of looted funds, by Saraki

    •Senate President blames anti-graft agencies

    SENATE President Bukola Saraki yesterday blamed anti-graft agencies for Nigeria’s inability to convince other countries to return looted funds.

    Dr. Saraki, who spoke at a one-day strategic retreat on tackling the progress of anti-corruption bills in National Assembly, alleged that some recovered assets were cornered by officials of anti-corruption bodies.

    The Senate President, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said: “Nigeria is finding it difficult to convince other nations to return funds looted from our treasury because of other nations’ exasperation over the management of returned assets.

    “Only recently, Mr. President inaugurated a committee to audit all assets recovered by various government agencies.

    “The National Assembly has been strident about the opacity shrouding the management of recovered funds, which in many cases get reported by the agencies that investigated and recovered them.

    “An ad-Hoc Committee of the Senate, which is investigating some administrative infractions in the executive, has discovered that many properties recovered from fugitives from the law have not been accounted for by the investigating agency.  This gives global community great concern about the commitment of Nigeria to the anti-corruption drive.”

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption,  Chukwuka Utazi, described Nigeria’s struggle against entrenched corruption as a global concern.

    The Enugu North District senator expressed dissatisfaction with the suspension of Nigeria from the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, especially at a time the the Federal Government has made anti-corruption one of the country’s cardinal policies.

    Utazi noted that there was no doubt that the suspension has greatly impeded the government’s anti corruption fight.

    He said: ”The suspension activated the immediate shutdown of the EGMONT secure Web (ESW),  against Nigeria with the implication that Nigeria can no longer exchange sensitive information with about 172 other member countries in order to carry out investigative and regulatory responsibilities as they affect local and international bothering on money laundering, terrorism financing.

    “These are dreadful consequences on sharing criminal intelligence and financial information bothering on money laundering, terrorism financing, proliferation of arms, corruption, financial crimes, economic crimes and such like offences geared towards the support of local and international investigations, prosecution and asset recovery.”

    The Director of Africa Network for Environment & Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, said the Swiss government was at the final stage of returning $321 million to Nigeria from the Abacha’s loot.

    He hailed the government for making sure that the country got back the Abacha loot.

  • Saraki blames EFCC, others for FG’s inability to retrieve looted funds

    Saraki blames EFCC, others for FG’s inability to retrieve looted funds

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday blamed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies for Nigeria’s inability to convince other countries to return looted funds back to the country.

    Saraki, who spoke at a one day strategic retreat on tackling the progress of Anti-corruption Bills in National Assembly, noted that many recovered assets were cornered by officials of anti-corruption agencies in the country.

    The Senate President, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said “Nigeria is finding it difficult to convince other nations to return funds looted from our treasury because of other nations’ exasperation over the management of returned assets.”

    He said: “Only recently, Mr. President inaugurated a committee to audit all assets recovered by various government agencies.

    “The National Assembly has been strident about the opacity shrouding the management of recovered funds, which in many cases get reported by the agencies that investigated and recovered them.

    “An ad-hoc committee of the Senate, which is investigating some administrative infraction in the executive has discovered that many properties recovered from fugitive from the law, have not been accounted for by the investigating agency.  This gives global community great concern about the commitment of Nigeria to the anti-corruption drive.”

    The Chairman of Senate committee on Anti-Corruption, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, in his opening remarks stated that Nigeria’s struggle against entrenched corruption is a global concern.

    The Enugu North lawmaker expressed dissatisfaction with the suspension of Nigeria from the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units especially at a time Nigeria has made anti-corruption a cardinal policy of government.

    Utazi noted that there is no doubt that the suspension greatly impedes the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

  • Nigeria needs courageous leadership now, says Saraki

    Nigeria needs courageous leadership now, says Saraki

    •Kwara governor: failed institutions responsible for agitation 

    Nigeria is in dire need of leaders with the required courage to do what is right at all times owing to the present political realities, Senate President Bukola Saraki said yesterday.

    He said it was unfortunate that present day political leaders, who should know the right thing, have refused to do what was right.

    The Senate president said his father, the late Abubakar Olusola Saraki, stood out for his courage to take the right decision without fear.

    Saraki spoke just as Kwara State Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed said for any reform or restructuring to achieve its objective, Nigerians must do away with ethnic and religious cleavages

    The present agitation across the country, Ahmed said, were informed by failed institutions.

    Both Saraki and Ahmed spoke at the anniversary lecture in honoured of late Senator Abubakar Olusola Saraki organised by the Northern Union with the theme: “National Unity and the future of Nigeria” in Abuja.

    Saraki reminded the audience that before the much talk about restructuring takes place, the country must discuss its unity, adding that “to do that, we must not be afraid to do the right thing”.

    “We all know what the right things are most times, but we are never ready to stand and do the right thing for this country,” Saraki said.

    According to him, one thing that the late former Senate Leader popularly called Oloye had “was courage and those of you that have worked with him will know that he has the courage to do whatever he believes in”.

    “It is that courage that we all need today. We need the courage to do what is right for this country. We need the courage to put Nigeria first not our state or religion but the courage to put the country first. So long as we continue to discuss this issue, we will continue to talk about the potential of Nigeria not the reality that Nigeria can achieve.

    “Oloye saw it like that. Some go into politics as a business, where you go with 10 and get 100. But he went into politics with everything and there was no way it would have been rewarding to him politically for what he did to Nigerian politics because he gave everything. This is surely one lesson we should all learn,” the Senate President said.

    Kwara State governor said what Nigerians needed at this point in time were institutions, which can guarantee them justice and equity and not holding on to some religious or ethnic belief without an institution to trust.

    Ahmed warned against the resort to ethnic and religious sentiments in the agitation for restructuring and reforms because poverty does not recognise ethnicity and religion.

    He said: “As a people, we have not been able to put together our best capacity, rather we have allowed the concept of ethnic and religious differences to take charge of our affairs. We have forgotten that ethnic and religious differences and social cultural differences are merely environmental differences.

    “We all stand out as one species of man before God almighty. Those differences should not be basis for determining delivery of goods and services. What should be the basis for delivery of goods and services is creating a platform of equity and justice. As a country today, we can see that there is a lot of clamour for restructuring, a lot of clamour for reforms and some even went to the extent of talking about secession.

    “They are issues that required to be pondered on very seriously because they are a reflection of people’s loss of faith in the system that is expected to give them succour.

    “When you lose faith in a platform that is supposed to give you succour, you will begin to seek refuge in cocoons  such as ethnic, religious and socio cultural backgrounds. This tells us clearly that the time has come us to look at our differences and recognise them as strengths.”

    Those who attended the lecture delivered by former Nigeria High Commissioner to Canada, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, include Ahmed, former Borno State Governor Mohammed Goni, former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, former Anambra State Governor Chief Jim Nwobodo, former Benue State Governor George Akure, former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda, former Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu and others.

     

  • Restructuring: Nigeria’s unity must be our first focus, says Saraki

    Restructuring: Nigeria’s unity must be our first focus, says Saraki

    President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola, has emphasized that unity is a prerequisite for Nigeria’s development, stability and greatness.

    Speaking in Calabar, at the retreat held by the Southern Senators’ Forum, Saraki insisted that “we must always put Nigeria first” in the ongoing debate about restructuring of the country and other similar agitations.

    “As a nation, unity is a prerequisite for development, stability and greatness,” the President of the Senate said,  “Unity is the first focus. Without unity, we can achieve nothing. And yet we know that, since the end of the Nigerian  civil  war, our unity has never been  more challenged than at the present time.

    “There are agitations across the length and breadth of this country that threaten our unity. And this time around, the threats are multi-faceted, and the vagaries of modern times have made the issues even more challenging than in the early post-independence era.”

    He further stated that the founders of Nigeria’s Constitution had envisioned the current agitations, and had put in place guidelines to ensure that the entire country must be on the same page in order to take drastic decisions.

    “In seeking to carry out any reform or restructuring, it is worth bearing in mind that the founders of our country, in their wisdom, had laid down some guidelines, making clear that it cannot be done by a simple majority, but rather by a two-thirds majority,” Saraki said.

    He continued: “To this end, we must all be on the same page. We cannot bully or browbeat others into accepting our point of view or positioning. Whatever we do must be by consensus, with the buy-in of all critical stakeholders in the debate.”

    Saraki also emphasized that Nigeria is not alone in its current predicament, stating that in Africa and the rest of the world, similar agitations are making governments and those they rule over to question their continued  co-existence, amid new and persistent threats to their unity.

    “The ripples of Catalonia’s  failed referendum bid are still being felt in Spain. In other parts of the Western hemisphere, the rise of right wing populism  amid concerns about immigration and illegal migration is fueling suspicion and injecting an element of the unpredictable into  once stable societies.

    Read also: Senate seeks new security design to end killings

    “Britain’s shock Brexit vote not only brought about a seismic shift in the political dynamics of that country, it also prefigured the dawning of Trumpian America. Sections of U.S society are now locked in a fractious debate about what it means to be American. From anthem protests by African American football stars to the debate over Confederate statues to inflamed confrontations in Charlottesville, the United States is roiling with its own agitations. In the Middle East, a location of historical disagreement  over borders, religion and statehood, the solutions seem far off.

    “In all of this – the ability to dialogue, to listen to one another,  to seek to understand the other person and to accept each other’s differences – is important in this issue of unity. Indeed, unity must exist before you can even talk about restructuring or reform. And so, distinguished colleagues, one of my messages to you today is this poser: How do we stay together?” he said.

    Saraki also stated that it is the responsibility of legislators to find the necessary clarity that will allow substance to override parochial considerations and crude sentiments.

    He also stated that Nigeria’s democracy is built around compromise, and senators have a responsibility to reassure their constituents and inculcate in them a sense of belonging that will make them  always put Nigeria first.

    He further challenged the senators from the Southern part of the country to play their own role in boosting the profitability of commercial enterprises in their states, thereby creating an economic boom that will enhance the unity of the nation and provide more opportunities for people.

  • Ekwueme’s death a monumental loss, say Saraki, Dogara

    Ekwueme’s death a monumental loss, say Saraki, Dogara

    THROUGH the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, the National Assembly yesterday paid tributes to former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, who died in a London hospital.

    In a statement by his adviser on media and publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President recalled the dedication and service of the late Ekwueme to the development of the country.

    Describing the former vice president as a rare personality and an exceptional leader, Saraki prayed God for the repose of Ekwueme’s soul and the grace for his family and the nation to bear the loss.

    The statement reads: “Today, I join the entire nation to mourn the passing of one of Nigeria’s most illustrious sons, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, our first elected Vice-President. As we mourn his death, we celebrate his dedication and service to the development of our country.

    “We remember his unique and exemplary courage in the face of overwhelming odds – when he stood up to past military regimes in the struggle for restoration of democracy and his dexterity in his personal pursuits as a successful architect, lawyer, businessman and philanthropist.

    “Dr. Ekwueme was a rare man and a great leader. He will be sorely missed. I pray for God’s strength for his family at this difficult time. May the Almighty God in his infinite wisdom and grace continue to guide the family and the nation that he has left behind.”

    In his tribute, Dogara described the demise of Ekwueme as a monumental loss to Africa and not just to Nigeria.

    “We have lost a principled politician”, Speaker Dogara said.

    Dogara, in a statement, extolled the virtues of the late Ekwueme even as he lamented his  passage at a time Africa was in dire need of patriots and leaders like him as the continent struggles with various internal conflicts and  passes through challenging phase in its history.

    The statement reads: “In times as these, elderly wisdom, experience and guidance of Dr. Ekwueme is needed by leaders at all levels so as to enable us surmount the daunting challenges confronting us as a country and as Africans.

    “Dr. Ekwueme was a philanthropist, a famous professional architect, lawyer, brilliant politician and a man of peace whose efforts in building bridges of friendship amongst the various peoples of Nigeria is legendary.

    “He (the late Ekwueme) played politics of ideas, principle and purpose and helped bring stability as vice president in the Second Republic.

    “The late elder statesman was credited with the introduction of the famous proposals for a just and equitable power sharing in Nigeria based on the six geopolitical zones which ensures a fair, just equitable and stable polity.

    “His contributions in the struggle for the restoration  of democracy in 1999 when he mobilised the famous group of 34 eminent Nigerians who risked their lives and stood up against military dictatorship are still fresh in our minds.

    “Indeed, he lived a life worthy of emulation and left an indelible mark in the annals of the history of Nigeria. He was truly a political colossus and giant whose shoes will be difficult to fill.

    “As it was said of all the saints and sages, we take solace in the fact that he has gone to rest having emptied himself while he walked the earth and served humanity even in his final hours.

    “I want to express our heartfelt condolences to the Ekwueme family, the government and people of Anambra state over this huge and irreparable loss. May His gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”

     

  • Ndume floors Senate, Saraki

    Ndume floors Senate, Saraki

    A judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Babatunde Quadri yesterday voided Senate’s suspension of a former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, for 90 legislative days.

    The court also said Ndume committed no infractions by raising issues on the certificate of Senator Dino Melaye and alleged purchase of bullet-proof SUV by the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

    It ordered the Senate President to pay all the salaries and outstanding allowances of Ndume since March 30 when he was suspended.

    But the judge refused to award N500 million cost against the Senate, Saraki and Senator Anyanwu in the “spirit of engendering peace and harmony” in the chamber.

    Following his suspension, Ndume had filed the suit against the Senate, the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

    He sought the following reliefs:

    • Whether the suspension of the plaintiff as a Senator of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for 90 legislative days (6 months) with effect from 29th March, 2017 via a letter dated 30th March, 2017 is not a gross violation of his fundamental right to freedom of expression guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act CAP A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and the plaintiff’s privileges as a senator.
    • Whether the suspension of the plaintiff as a senator of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for 90 legislative days (6 months) via a letter of 30th March, 2017 is not in violation of section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act CAP A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
    • Whether the suspension of the plaintiff as a senator of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for 90 legislative days (6 months) with effect from 29th March, 2017 via a letter dated 30th March, 2017 is not in violation of sections 64(1) and 68 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act CAP A 9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
    • Whether the plaintiff is not entitled to be reinstated as a Senator of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and paid his outstanding salaries, allowances (however called) since March, 2017.
    • Whether if questions 1, 2 and 3 hereinabove are in the affirmative, the plaintiff is not entitled to general, exemplary and aggravated damages.

    The plaintiff hereby seeks the following reliefs from this Honourable Court to wit:

    • A DECLARATION that the suspension of the plaintiff for 90 legislative days (6 months) as a Senator in the service of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria via a letter dated 30th March, 2017 for expressing as a matter of privilege the insinuations/allegations made online and in national newspapers that the invitation of the Comptroller-General of Customs was informed by seizure of the bullet proof SUV vehicle belonging to the Senate President purportedly cleared with fake National Assembly documents and the alleged first degree saga of Senator Dino Melaye is a violation of his fundamental right to fair hearing and freedom of expression as guaranteed by sections 36 and 39 of the extant Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Articles 7 (1) and 9 (2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act CAP A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
    • A declaration that the suspension of the plaintiff for 90 legislative days (3 months) from the service of the Senate as a Senator in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from 29th March, 2017 as contained in the letter of 30th March, 2017 is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional as it was done in violation of sections 68 and 69 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)and Article 13 (1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act CAP A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
    • An order setting aside the purported suspension of the plaintiff from the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as contained in the aforesaid letter of 30th March, 2017.
    • An order directing the 1st and 2nd defendants to pay the plaintiff his outstanding salaries and allowances (however called) forthwith.
    • The sum of N500 million (five hundred million naira) being general, exemplary and aggravated damages for the aforesaid suspension of the plaintiff from the service of the Senate as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
    • Any such order or other orders as the justice of the case may demand.

    The counsel to the Senator, Mr. Marcel Oru, claimed that “there is no law that says a Senator can be suspended for 90 legislative days. If a Senator commits any simple infractions, he can be suspended for one day. Serious infractions attract 14-day suspension.

    “Anything outside the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the law of the land, and the Senate Standing Orders is ultra vires, illegal, null and void. To suspend a senator, the infractions must be known to law. In this case, Senator Ndume has not violated any law because his submissions at the Senate Plenary were under Qualified Privilege.”

    Ndume argued that his suspension was intended by the Senate leadership to get back at him for merely raising questions about issues relating to the conduct of privileged individuals in the Senate.

    He noted that fellow legislators, who made similar observations in the past were neither suspended not penalised as was done to him under the Saraki-led Senate.

    Ndume said: “Senators of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or members of the House of Representatives and, indeed, all legislators have the privilege to express themselves on the floor of the Senate or House of Reps and all previous matters as the present one have not attracted suspension or punitive action.

    “In the scandal on variation in the name of Evan Enwerem, the Senator, who raised the matter was not suspended. In the certificate scandal involving Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, the member, who raised the issue was not punished after clearance of Masari.

    “In the certificate scandal involving Hon. Dimeji Bankole, the member who raised the issue was not punished after the clearance of Bankole. In the certificate scandal involving Hon. Patricia Etteh, the member, who raised the issue was not punished after the investigation and clearance of Etteh,” Ndume had argued.

    In the judgment yesterday, Justice Qaudri, while declaring Ndume’s suspension unlawful, urged members of the Senate, and particularly its leadership to “hold sacrosanct, their Standing Orders, Rule of Law and by extension, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    Justice Quadri said Ndume’s suspension was done in violation of sections 68 and 69 of the Constitution and Article 13(1) of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement)Act.

    The judge set aside the purported suspension as contained in the Senate’s letter of March 30, 2017.

    Justice Quadri resolved questions 2, 3 and 4 in Ndume’s favour. The questions are in relation to whether the suspension was not unlawful and a violation of the plaintiff’s rights and whether Ndume was not entitled to be reinstated.

    Having answered the three questions in the palintiff’s favour, the judge proceeded to grant his reliefs 2, 3, and 4.

    He said: “Consequently, reliefs 2, 3 and 4 are hereby granted. The suspension of the plaintiff is hereby declared illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

    “The purported suspension, contained in the letter of March 30th 2017 is hereby set aside. The 1st and 2nd defendants (Saraki and the Senate) are hereby directed to pay the plaintiff his outstanding salaries and allowances forthwith.”

    The judge declined to determine the 1st question, which related to whether the suspension was not a violation of his right to freedom of expression as expression as guaranteed in section 39 of the Constitution.

    Justice Quadri said he found the determination of the question unnecessary in the cirscumstance.

    The judge declined to grant Ndume’s request for N500 million damages against the defendants.

    The judge, in rejecting the prayer, said: “It is intended to facilitate reconciliation in the Senate between the plaintiff and all other members of the Senate and bring peace, and nurture our nascent democracy.”

    The Senate had claimed that it suspended Ndume on disciplinary ground.

    He had jolted the Senate when it drew the attention of members to media report that the invitation of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, was due to seizure of a vehicle illegally imported by Saraki.

    The Senate also suspended him for drawing attention to media report on alleged fake first degree certificate of Senator Dino Melaye.

  • 2019: Saraki’s aide resigns to chair political party

    2019: Saraki’s aide resigns to chair political party

    Ahead of the 2019 election, Special Assistant to the Senate President on Youth and students matters Ikenga Ugochinyere has resigned his appointment.

    Ugochinyere in a one page letter to the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said that his resignation was to enable him serve as the national chairman of his newly formed political party.

    He did not however give the identity of his new political party , but said he decided to quit his job “because the legal and political implication of his new status , national chairman of a new party does not allow him to continue to serve as an aide to the Senate President.

    The letter dated October 3, 2017letter read “Sequel to the recent issuance of certificate of registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)to my newly formed political party and my emergence as the national chairman , I wish to tender my resignation as your Special Assistant on Youths and students matters .

    Read Also: 2019: Ebonyi APC drums support for Buhari

    “This is because of the legal and political implication new status as a result of which I cannot be able to discharge my function to you Sir ” The Imo state born youth leader however expressed gratitude to the Senate president for given the opportunity serve in that capacity .

    “Our over two years official relationship I count as the most amazing moment in my public service life . His Excellency confidence and believe in the innovative spirit of the young people is indeed legendary .

    “He built a bridge between the old and the young and have been working hard to help return the country to the part of national unity.”