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Tag: Saraki

  • Saraki loses bid to stop CCB official’s recall

    Saraki loses bid to stop CCB official’s recall

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday lost in his bid to prevent the recall of an official of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) who had earlier testified in his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for alleged false assets declaration.

    At the commencement of proceedings on Wednesday, lead prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), re-invited the CCB official, Samuel Madojemu, to clarify his earlier testimonies during cross-examination by Saraki’s lawyer.

    Before Madojemu could answer the first question from Jacobs, Saraki’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), objected to the witness being asked questions about the Senate president’s London property.

    Erokoro said Madojemu had earlier admitted that he knew nothing about the London mortgage and did not seek any explanation from the Fortis Bank in London.

    The CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, overruled Erokoro and allowed Jacobs to continue with his re-examination of the witness.

    Madojemu proceeded to answer Jacobs’ question and restated his evidence that Saraki failed to declare a London property he allegedly acquired through mortgage in 2010.

    Madojemu, the Head of Intelligence Unit at the CCB, had during cross-examination by Erokoro, identified a property at 70 Bourne Street, South-West London, valued at $4,800,000, which he said  Saraki declared that he acquired through proceeds from sales of rice and sugar in January 2002.

     

  • Lawyers reject senators’ call for withdrawal of Saraki’s trial

    Lawyers on Wednesday rejected calls by some senators for the Federal Government to withdraw the false asset declaration charge against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    Some senators loyal to Saraki reportedly made the demand during the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus meeting with party leaders.

    The senators described Saraki’s trial as political, saying withdrawing the false assets declaration charge would help thaw the relationship between the executive and the legislature.

    But, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Charles Uwesuyi-Edosomwan, said it would be wrong to withdraw the charge for political convenience.

    According to him, institutions should be allowed to do their jobs without any form of interference.

    He said: “We can’t do that. We need to strengthen the institutions. We cannot trade forgiveness of alleged crimes for political sagacity or convenience.

    “We can’t begin, in our constitutional development, to start encouraging a culture of trading political favours for crimes i.e. whenever we have political logjam, we just forgive criminality.

    “Institutions must be strengthened on their own; on the pedestals of legality, constitutionalism and morality.

    “On the basis of law, it is illegal to say because there is a political impasse, you want to forgive crimes that should be tried; you cannot also, because of convenience, raise a particular individual over an institution, like they’re trying to do with (Ibrahim) Magu.

    “So, let the Senate do its job; and let the other institutions and structures also do their jobs.”

    Founder/President of a human rights group, the Crusade for Justice, Mr. Richard Nwankwo, said Saraki’s trial should run its full course.

    He said withdrawing the charge for political reasons would mean that some persons are above the law.

    “That will mean giving a different meaning to the definition of justice. If we are all equal before the law, we want to see the equality from a practical point of view.

    “If they (executive) are convinced that they have something concrete against Saraki, I think there is no moral justification for abandoning such as campaign. The beauty of justice is that nobody lives above it.

    “Once you start dispensing justice in a manner that makes it discriminatory, it no longer falls within the confines of the definition of justice,” Nwankwo said.

  • Oyegun calls for ceasefire as Saraki demands respect

    Oyegun calls for ceasefire as Saraki demands respect

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has called for ceasefire, in what he described as “the kind of abuse being used on one institution of government or the other, even among principal parties of these institutions”.
    Oyegun made the appeal yesterday after a closed door meeting between the leadership of the party and its Senate caucus.
    But Senate President Bukola Saraki demanded respect for the Senate and its leadership, saying some people should not ridicule the Senate just to further their selfish interests.
    Speaking with reporters shortly after the meeting, Odigie-Oyegun commended the legislature for what he described as the “degree of cooperation” it has been extending to the executive.
    Admitting “seeming differences under the surface”, the party chair urged the various arms of government to maintain some level of respect and civility for one another.
    “Once that is done, I can assure you and assure the nation that in the next couple of weeks, we will have a new level of amity, cohesion, cooperation and mutual respect between the different arms of government and the party; the executive, the National Assembly and the party.
    “We have assurance that the budget is going on and is going on very well. I might as well say it and I should have said it when we were inside; that the report I get, or the briefing I get from the minister of Budget is that the National Assembly has been very, very cooperative in the interactions between his ministry and also between the different ministries.
    “One appeal I have to make that it is necessary for all levels of government to maintain some level of respect and civility one to the other.
    “And my appeal is as we start now the process of reconstructing relationships and consultations, there should be what I will call a ceasefire in terms of the kind of abuse that is used all round on one institution of government or the other, even principal parties of these institutions,” Oyegun said.
    Saraki said the Senate was more concerned with fundamental issues that are more important to the people.
    According to him, the Senate would be focused on major issues and would not be distracted in its mission of providing time tested pieces of legislation for the people.
    He, however, harped on the need to respect democratic institutions, adding that people should not ridicule these institutions for selfish interests.
    Said he: “As I said yesterday, some of these issues that we have, I don’t believe they are more fundamental and important to our people than the issue of budget.
    “Despite all the noise you heard last week, we still passed an amendment to the INEC law that had been there for over six or seven years.
    “By this time next week, our committee on Petroleum will lay the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which has never been done. We are focused on the major issues and we are not going to be distracted with that. And we are still going to do our work.
    “It’s unfortunate but the most important thing is that a lot of stakeholders must respect these institutions. These institutions are there now and they are going to be there after and we should not allow our selfish interest to enable us to try and ridicule the institutions. The institution is what we have and we must ensure that we respect that.”
    Saraki thanked the party chairman and his team for meeting with the senators, saying “it’s a good development because we are all part of one umbrella as a party”.
    He maintained that whether there are issues or not, regular consultations between the legislative arm of government and the party is important.
    Asked to comment on the suspension of Senator Ali Ndume for six months by the Senate, Saraki dismissed the question as “a distraction”.
    “Your question again is distracting from the issues. You have 108 senators here. And you have the National Chairman. Let us focus on national issues,” Saraki retorted.
    The Senate had on Wednesday, last week, suspended Ndume for urging it to investigate allegations of importation of a N298 million bullet proof Range Rover with fake Customs documents. The vehicle has since been seized by the Customs Service.
    Ndume had also drawn the attention of the Senate to the allegation of certificate forgery against Senator Dino Malaye (Kogi West), as reported by an online publication, Saharareporters.
    The senator representing Borno South was suspended for six months, ostensibly based on a report by the Senate committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
    His colleagues accused him of unnecessarily distracting the attention of the Senate on allegations based on “rumours” and for failing to investigate the allegations before raising them on the floor of the Senate.

  • Crisis: Oyegun calls for ceasefire as Saraki demands respect

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Tuesday called for ceasefire, in what he described as “the kind of abuse that is used all round on one institution of government or the other, even principal parties of these institutions.”

    Oyegun made the appeal after a closed door marathon meeting between the leadership of the party and party’s Senate caucus.

    But the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, demanded respect for the Senate and its leadership, saying some people should not ridicule the Senate just to further their selfish interests.

    Speaking with journalists shortly after the meeting, Chief Oyegun commended the legislature for what he described as “degree of cooperation” it has been extending to the executive.

    Oyegun appealed to the various arms of government to maintain some level of respect and civility for one another.

    “Once that is done, I can assure you and assure the nation that in the next couple of weeks, we will have a new level of amity, cohesion, cooperation and mutual respect between the different arms of government and the party; the executive, the national assembly and the party.

    “We have assurance that the budget is going on and is going on very well. I might as well say it and I should have said it when we were inside; that the report I get, or the briefing I get from the minister of budget is that the National Assembly has been very, very cooperative in the interactions between both his ministry and also between the different ministries and the National Assembly.

    “One appeal I have to make that it is necessary for all levels of government to maintain some level of respect and civility to each other.

    “And my appeal is as we start now the process of reconstructing relationships and consultations, there should be what I will call a ceasefire in terms of the kind of abuse that is used all round on one institution of government or the other even principal parties of these institutions,” Oyegun said.

    Also speaking with journalists after the meeting, Saraki said the Senate was more concerned with fundamental issues that are more important to the people.

    According to him, the Senate would be focused on major issues and would not be distracted in its mission of providing time tested legislation for the people.

  • President, Saraki, Dogara meet over budget, rift

    President, Saraki, Dogara meet over budget, rift

    BEHIND closed doors and separately, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara in Abuja.

    Expectedly, the festering rift between the Presidency and the National Assembly took the centre stage.

    The President first met with the Speaker before meeting the Senate President —for about 40 minutes each.

    The meetings confirmed yesterday’s The Nation story — that the President was billed to meet with the leadership of the National Assembly as part of efforts to address the strained relationship between the Executive and the Legislature.

    It was learnt that the meetings also discussed Budget 2017, the  amendment to the Electoral Act 2010 and other national issues.

    The Senate President and the Speaker, who spoke to State House correspondents after the meetings, said they had “routine consultation’’ with the President.

    Saraki told reporters that the relationship between the two arms of government remained cordial.

    His words: “The relationship is very cordial; you cannot examine (the National Assembly) by one or two issues.  That is the point I’m making. You cannot examine (the relationship) based on NDDC or examine it based on EFCC.

    “We have other issues like the ministerial (names) we are going to work on and the amnesty we will soon work on. We have the budget that is more important, we have INEC; we have the PIB (Petroleum Industry Bill); we have so many things and I think it is a mixture of all that that should guide us. So, don’t let us overheat the polity.’’

    On the six months suspension of Senator Ali Ndume,  Saraki said he lacked the power to recall the former Senate Leader as being advocated by some individuals and groups.

    He said: “We should try and understand how the parliament works. I wish I had such powers; these powers you give me, I wish I had them. The President or Speaker is first among equals. They are just presiding officers.

    “But, unfortunately, you know the legislative arm is the youngest people don’t understand. People give us these powers that we have. Decisions that are taken in plenary are decision of all. But, I have a role to be able to convey the message.

    “I will convey the message of the visit of the Governor of Borno and the Senate is one. We are all one family. There will be issues like that; there is nothing that is sacrosanct or rigid.”

    He added that the National Assembly is working hard on Budget 2017.

    According to him, one of the reasons for visiting the President was to let him know how far the National Assembly had gone on the budget.

    He said: “We are on course, as you noted last week, we did ask all the sub-committees to submit their reports to the appropriation Committee. All that has been done now. It’s now collation and review. Then, hopefully, it will be passed very soon.”

    On the suspension of screening of Resident Electoral Commissioners, he said: “As I said, this is a routine meeting. There are many things that are important. But there are other things that are even more important to do, which is the budget.

    “We talked also about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Bill that we have passed. I took the President through some of the areas; very important areas. Because you know the President over many years is somebody that has gone to many elections. So, that was something he was really excited about. Some of the new amendments like electronic voting, talks about electronic process for collation. Those are landmark achievements that we hope that very soon, the House will concur and we will all come here for the President to assent.

    “Some of these other issues will happen, but I don’t think it’s a major issue. But we are still moving ahead and still consulting.”

    On his views on the reconciliatory committee set up under the chairmanship of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Saraki said: “Good development. But like I said, there will always be issues on one or two things. It doesn’t mean that it is the foundation of it.

    “When you have an arm of government that has to do with confirmation, there will always be…for example, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Bill.  We rejected three people from NDDC. We keep on moving. We are all part of one government. That is why despite all these, still major decisions are taken.

    “Like I said, we did critical amendments on INEC by Tuesday or Wednesday (today or tomorrow). For the first time in the history of the legislature, we are going to lay a report on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) for consideration. It has never happened. For the past 20 years, it has not gotten to this stage. So, it’s work in progress in the interest of Nigeria.

    “Don’t let us get distracted by one or two infractions. It’s bound to happen. Even America that we are copying, today as we are watching, see what is happening on the Supreme Court. These are things that happen in a democracy. But, I can reassure Nigerians that it’s just a drop in the ocean. It is not an issue that should stir the whole nation; be rest assured.”

    Also speaking on the outcome of his meeting with the President, Dogara dismissed speculations that he was at the Villa over crisis between the executive and the legislature.

    The Speaker said: “It baffles me when people see you visiting Mr. President, the assumption out there is that something is going wrong. Nothing is wrong. It is just a routine consultation.

    “You might look at it as crisis but I don’t look at it as crisis. You know I have always said this that as a government our value will be the problems we have solved.

    “We can’t be remembered for avoiding or running away from problems. It is only whený we provide solution to some of the things you refer to as crises and we look at them as opportunities to begin anew that people will now remember us for putting down enduring legacies.”

    On the proposed protest against the recent activities at the National Assembly, Dogara said Nigerians were free to express their views peacefully.

    He said: “This is a democracy we are running and we have to open the space to civil society, to everyone who feels aggrieved to be able to air his grievances.

    “So, if they have grievances against the institution of the legislature, we will take it.’’

     

  • Presidency/Senate feud: Saraki may meet Buhari

    Presidency/Senate feud: Saraki may meet Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate President Bukola Saraki are likely to meet this week on the cold war between the Senate and the Executive.

    The meeting may discuss the fate of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    According to a source, who spoke in confidence, the proposed session follows the tension created by the decision of the Senate not to screen the President’s 27 nominees for Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).

    The Presidency considered the Senate’s decision as an “affront” but most senators regarded it as “asserting the principle of separation of powers”.

    Another source said: “In the next few days, the Senate President might have an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “The session is mainly to compare notes on a number of issues including the 2017 Budget and Senate’s position on Magu as well as other issues.

    “Saraki may also use the opportunity to clear some grey areas and misconceptions about the Senate. This meeting is without prejudice to the committee raised by the Executive to meet with the leadership of the National Assembly.”

    A principal officer in the Senate gave an insight into some issues which may dominate the talks between the Vice President-led Mediation Committee and the National Assembly leaders.

    The source said apart from the row over Magu, some of the likely issues include the following:

    • clarifying that the Senate or the National Assembly is not at war with the President;
    • poor or non-compliance with the resolutions of the National Assembly;
    • lack of cooperation by MDAs during oversight visits;
    • alleged disrespect of summons by members of the Executive, especially political office holders;
    • discordant tunes from the Executive on the tenor of the 2016 Budget;
    • accelerating the passage of the 2017 budget;
    • partial compliance with the earlier agreement between the Executive and National Assembly leaders on appointments into boards of agencies and others;
    • alleged use of anti-graft agencies to haunt lawmakers; and
    • how to avoid rifts between the two arms.

    The source added: “Our shopping list is long but we want to discuss mutually with the Executive to reach an amicable settlement.

    “We are hopeful that we will find common grounds in the interest of the country.”

    The newly-nominated RECs are undergoing screening by security agencies.

    The report on their suitability is to be submitted to the Senate to guide their screening.

    “If any of them is found wanting, he may be dropped. Managing electoral process at any level is not meant for those with moral garbage” another source said.

    “At the end of the day, the security report will be sent to the Senate to guide the screening of the RECs. As I talk now, the screening process has started and the REC-designates have submitted their dossiers.”

  • ‘No N310m theft from Saraki’

    ‘No N310m theft from Saraki’

    The Department of State Security (DSS) yesterday said no N319million was stolen from either the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki or any member of the National Assembly.

    Saraki also denied ownership of the N310 million alleged to have been stolen by an operative of DSS.

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Sanni Onogu, said Saraki had nothing whatsoever to do with the said stolen money.

    The DSS said the investigation of one of its former operatives, Abdulrasheed Maigari, in 2015 showed that Saraki had nothing to do with the stolen cash.

    A top official of the DSS made the clarifications at a confidential briefing in Abuja.

    The top official said:”The story making the rounds that the sum of N310 million belonging to the Senate President was stolen in 2015 is a malicious falsehood.

    “From our investigation, the money in question did not belong to the Senate President or any member of the National Assembly for that matter.

    “The investigation conducted by the DSS and the confessional statement made by Abdulrasheed Maigari, a suspect in the case, did not support this claim at all.

    “Maigari’s recent claim in the media is nothing but a made up story to achieve a hidden motive.

    “The fact that Maigari, who is currently standing trial for an armed robbery case, could make up such a false claim is a further indication of how criminally minded he is.”

    Also Onogu, in a statement entitled: “N310m was never stolen from Saraki’s house”, said: “The attention of the Media Office of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has been drawn to a rehash of mischievous and concocted allegations aimed at misleading the public with spurious claims that the Senate President allegedly owned the sum of N310 million said to have been stolen  from a Bureau de Change operator in November 2015, by suspected operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and some army personnel.

    “This office wants to reiterate that the Senate President had nothing to do with the said stolen money by suspected security agents then and even now as being maliciously peddled by some online media to tarnish his image.”

  • Presidency/Senate face-off: Saraki, senators under fire

    Presidency/Senate face-off: Saraki, senators under fire

    •250 civil society groups, others plan mass action to shut down
    Upper Chamber • Demand lawmakers’ apologies to Sagay, Ndume
    •PDP chair calls for Senate President’s immediate resignation

    A storm is gathering against the Senate over its face-off with the Presidency.

    The Upper Chamber has been at loggerheads with the Presidency in recent weeks, twice turning down President Muhammadu Buhari’s request that the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, be confirmed as the substantive chair of the anti-graft agency.

    The Senate also declined consideration of the 27 names the President nominated as resident electoral commissioners because the President would not heed its request that Magu be removed as Acting Chair of EFCC and the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) chairman, Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), spurned an invitation extended to him by the lawmakers, describing it as “childish and irresponsible”.

    But the rift took a new turn yesterday with calls for the resignation of Dr. Bukola Saraki as Senate President and threats by a coalition of 250 civil society groups to dislodge him and other senators.

    The civil society groups, under the auspices of Stand Up for Nigeria (SUN), vowed to mobilise the mass of displeased Nigerians against Saraki and the other senators for daring to hold the nation to ransom by declining consideration of the 27 names President Buhari nominated as resident electoral commissioners.

    The threat to sack Saraki and other members of the Senate is coming just as a factional chair of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State called for his immediate resignation for a myriad of corruption allegations over which the Senate President is being investigated.

    The National President of SUN, Evangelist Sunday Attah, who addressed a press conference in Abuja yesterday, threatened that the coalition would bring the Senate to “a desperately deserved inglorious end” by the time it unleashes its anger on the red chamber next week.

    “We therefore urge all Nigerians to come out in Lagos and Abuja on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for a peaceful protest to shut down the Senate,” he said.

    Attah called on former Nigerian presidents, statesmen and nationalists to prevail on Dr Bukola Saraki-led Senate not to subject the nation to a kind of international embarrassment never witnessed in the history of the country.

    He described the suspension of Senator Ali Ndume from the chamber as anti-democratic, saying that the action must be reversed immediately to avoid the wrath of the Nigerian people in days to come.

    He urged the Senate to immediately reverse the decision to suspend Ndume and commence the process for the confirmation of the individuals nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari as Resident Electoral Commissioners.

    Attah said in the last two weeks, Nigerians have watched in awe as the Senate under the leadership of Saraki practically gave a red card to the anti-corruption war when they started using the confirmation of nominees as bargaining chip to frustrate reforms that were promised by the government.

    He described the Senate’s action as a blow from which many Nigerians are still reeling as they cannot fathom why people who claim to represent them are making anti-people moves.

    He said: “Not only did they engage in anti-people activities, the federal lawmakers shamelessly blackmailed President Muhammadu Buhari by refusing to consider the confirmation of 27 resident electoral commissioners when they know that these nominees needed to resume and familiarise themselves with their duties in time for the next general election.

    “Through its Ethics Committee, the Senate, in the most brazen case of make-believe to have ever occurred in any elected parliament, cleared one of their own, Senator Dino Melaye, of certificate scandal after arm twisting the leadership of his supposed alma mata to give a favourable testimony.

    “The same farcical panel cleared Saraki of complicity or involvement in the armoured Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) impounded by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) earlier in the year.

    “Perhaps the Ali-must-wear-uniform saga has been made clearer with this development.”

    He said in the most bizarre treatment of a whistleblower by a parliament on record, the Senate under Saraki, which ought to be the bastion of anti-corruption campaign, suspended former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, ostensibly because he dared break rank to expose Senator Dino Melaye’s qualification fiasco and Saraki’s SUV Custom clearance mess.

    Attah said while the Senate engaged in all these theatrics, the 2017 budget remains in the limbo because the senators do not care how their actions affect the rest of Nigerians.

    Coalition demands apologies to Sagay, Ndume

    He said the actions of the Senate are a dangerous precedent Nigerians must immediately unite and rise up against because it is guaranteed to destroy all that they have laboured for if not arrested in time.

    He said: “Stand Up Nigeria therefore demands that the Senate undo the wrong actions it has taken in the time under consideration.

    “To this end, the federal lawmakers must withdraw the summons to Professor Itsey Sagay and apologise for attempting to intimidate him for exercising his freedom of expression.

    “The Senate must immediately lift the suspension it slammed on Senator Ali Ndume and in addition tender unreserved apology to him for the ridicule it attempted to expose him to.

    “The process for the confirmation of the nominees for Resident Electoral Commissioners must resume without any unnecessary conditions attached.”

    He said where the Senate fails to meet the foregoing demands, the coalition would not relent as was the case in the past when they had cause to call for mass action against the National Assembly.

    Attah said: “We call on former Nigerian Presidents, former Senate Presidents and all men of goodwill to help the Senate in finding its lost glory before the doom of the Senate consumes our democracy.

    “As we had set out earlier, recent activities by the Senate have since shown that these men are more after their ego and greed than the interest of the masses which they have been elected to serve.

    “To this end, we are urging Nigerians that it is time to shift gear.

    “Years of asking the Senate to be accountable and prove itself as a gathering of matured men and women have yielded no positive results.

    “If anything, the predisposition of these federal lawmakers to becoming more crime ridden has worsened over the years.

    “We must therefore begin the process of scrapping the Senate since it has proven itself as a conduit pipe for waste and official cover for blackmailers.”

    Urging Nigerians to rise up and speak up, he said: “When we comment in the social media space, when we take to the streets to protest and when we engage as influencers, the singular demand should be the eradication of Senate, as it is no longer needed.”

    He said Nigerians must ensure that every single Senator that has been part of the criminality going on in the red chamber is not allowed to return to Abuja in 2019 to continue “this madness”. 

    ‘Saraki must go’

    Yesterday, factional chair of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, urged Senator Saraki to step down as Senate President pending his clearance from a myriad of corruption allegations levelled against him.

    Fagbemi said: “The most respectable and acceptable thing to do is to step down even in our clime. After all, the judges have set a precedence.

    “It is the most civilised thing to do. His continued occupation of that exalted position is a serious dent on the image and integrity of the hallowed chamber.” 

    ‘Senate President needs not step down’

    Fagbemi’s views, however, contrast with those of a human rights lawyer and former commissioner for information and strategy in Abia State, Dr Anthony Agbazuere, who said that those calling for the resignation of the Senate President were ignorant of the laws of the land.

    He said that those that were calling for the Senate President to resign to avoid distraction do not understand the workings of the law of the country, as one is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.

    Speaking with The Nation in Umuahia, Agbazuere said the trial of Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) is a ruse, an abuse of process and an embarrassment to the leadership of this country.

    He said: “Though I see the tribunal finding Saraki guilty, we still have the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court that will surely quash the verdict of the tribunal. So, asking him to resign makes no sense.”

    Corroborating Agbazuere, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Ladi Williams, said in a telephone chat with The Nation yesterday: “It is not right to ask the Senate President to step aside, because our constitution says that an accused person is innocent until he is proven guilty.

    “If he steps aside and he is later proved innocent, who will be responsible for the loss that he  suffers?

    “What we have now is a situation where two parties have issues with one making allegations and the other denying it.

    “Remaining on the seat will not in any way affect  the investigation.”

    Efforts to obtain the Senate’s reaction yielded no result. The Special Adviser to the Senate President, Yusuf Olaniyonu, referred our correspondent to the Senate’s spokeman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, but he neither picked his calls nor responded to a text message sent to his mobile phone.

     

  • 2017 budget: Saraki directs committees to submit reports

    2017 budget: Saraki directs committees to submit reports

    Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday told Senate standing committees to submit their reports on the 2017 budget proposal to the appropriations committee.

    Saraki, who spoke during plenary, noted that compliance by committees yet to turn in their reports will hasten legislative work on the budget proposal.

    The directive came as Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Idris Ahmed, issued a circular extending the tenure of the Capital elements of the 2016 Budget till May 5, 2017 or the passage of the 2017 budget, whichever is the earliest.

    In a statement quoting the Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, it was announced that Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should take note of the content of the circular.

    The directive by the Senate president was part of the decision of the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives that met in Saraki’s house on Wednesday.

    A source said part of the resolution of the joint leadership meeting was to ensure that the 2017 budget was passed earlier than that of 2016.

    He said committees were to submit their reports to the appropriation committee latest yesterday, failing which the appropriation committee would be free to adopt what the executive submitted.

    The 2016 budget was passed end of March, 2016. It was, however, rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari and returned to the National Assembly.

    The second passage of the same budget proposal was passed April ending 2016 and assented to by President Buhari on May 6, 2016.

    Saraki insisted that should any committee fail to comply to submit its report before the end of work yesterday, the appropriations committee would go ahead to consider and adopt the original proposal made by the executive.

    Saraki said: “All committees yet to complete work on the 2017 budget proposal are hereby requested to submit their reports unfailingly today to the appropriations committee.

    “The committees, numbering over 20 or thereabout should endeavour to submit their reports, or the appropriations committee will be left with no option but to consider original estimates sent in by the executive.”

  • Saraki to panel: I didn’t import N298m SUV

    Saraki to panel: I didn’t import N298m SUV

    •Melaye graduated from ABU with Third Class, says VC

    SENATE President Bukola Saraki yesterday denied importing the controversial N298 million Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

    He spoke at the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions probing the alleged importation of the bulletproof Ranger Rover SUV.

    Saraki regretted that the Senate was being tackled by unnamed persons for its reversal of the controversial policy of retrospective duty payment on vehicles introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

    The Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led committee also questioned Senator Dino Melaye over allegations that he did not graduate from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria.

    The Senate, on March 21, referred the two issues to the committee for investigation.

    It followed a point of order motion by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South) that booth issues be investigated to protect the integrity of the Senate.

    Ndume relied on some publications to draw the attention of the Senate to the allegations against Saraki and Melaye.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu promptly referred the issues to the committee to investigate and report back within four weeks.

    Besides Anyanwu, other members of the committee at the investigative hearing included Senators Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North), Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South), who excused himself from Saraki’s probe but participated in Melaye’s investigation, Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central), Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North), Mathew Urhghide (Edo South) and Albert Akpan, who said he is a friend to Melaye.

    Before Saraki began his testimony, the committee’s chairman explained why he was invited.

    Anyanwu asked Saraki whether he (Saraki) was an importer; whether he imported any vehicle in the name of Abubakar Bukola Saraki and if it is true that he imported SUV Range Rover that was clear with fake customs papers.

    Saraki was also asked whether the SUV was cleared in his name or on his behalf and whether he asked anybody to clear the SUV on his behalf.

    But the Senate President began his testimony by warning those fighting the National Assembly to desist from the act in the interest of democracy.

    He insisted that democracy would not thrive if institutions of government are deliberately weakened and ridiculed.

    Saraki said: “I am not an importer and at no point did I import an SUV Range Rover. As you know, this is a vehicle that is not a “personal vehicle. It is a vehicle which was processed through the National Assembly.

    “I don’t know anything about the importation; I did not appoint any clearing agent or anything like that.

    “Most of the vehicles that are here you only know when it is delivered to you. None of this did I import or getting any agent or going to the port.

    “This is not true. Those that said it know it is not true. Customs knows it is not true, because we all know that all treated vehicles have end user certificate and it states clearly who the importer is and these documents are available and there is no document anywhere that shows my name.

    “So, I want to state categorically that this is not true and it is important that I come here and clear my name and put this matter to rest.

    “We all raised the issue of the policy that is anti-people in the interest of Nigerians. This policy that really had no value at all and that was why this motion came up and we debated it in the interest of Nigerians. But unfortunately, those who want to fight back went and thought there was something to blackmail us with.”

    The chairman of the committee told the importer of the car, Tokunbo Akindele, that he imported an SUV and did not pay duties and that was the reason the Senate is having issue with the Nigerian Customs.

    Akindele responded: “In 2015, on behalf of the firm that I work for, Oando Plc, we imported a Range Rover Bulletproof SUV.

    “We imported it as the company that needed to use it for the various operations that we have around the country.

    “The car took longer than was expected and by the time it reached Nigeria in 2015, September, we decided that we will no longer be using the car, so we effectively packed it.”

    He added that “the car was not imported for the Senate President…

    “The National Assembly took receipt of the car through a consignment from us, through Lanre Shittu Motors, in December 2015.”

    Also speaking, the car dealer, Olanrewaju Shittu, told the committee that they facilitated the sale of the car to the National Assembly.

    He said there was never a time they sold the car to Saraki.

    “It was when the car was intercepted some time in 2017, that it was brought to my knowledge and we contacted Oando, who gave us the papers that they said was false,” Shittu said.

    On the investigation of the certificate forgery against Melaye, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Vice Chancellor Prof. Ibrahim Garba confirmed that Melaye earned a degree in Geography from the Faculty of Arts in 2000.

    Garba, who also appeared before the committee, told the committee that Melaye graduated from the institution as Daniel Jonah Melaye with a third class degree in Geography.

    The VC noted that Melaye graduated and did his one year compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between 2000 and 2001 in Kaduna State.

    Vice chancellor said: “From the records I know Senator Dino Melaye, who was formerly known as Jonah Daniel Melaye as a former student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and I know him to be the distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “From the records of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria , Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye, who was at that time named Daniel Jonah Melaye graduate with a Third Class degree of the Bachelors of Art in Geography in the year 2000. And by this he is a graduate of the university.

    Melaye, in his testimony, presented documents concerning his admission into ABU, his secondary school certificate, NYSC discharge certificate, change of name and others in acknowledgement of what the VC said about him.

    Melaye said: “I thank you for the invitation and I want to state my unequivocal confidence in this committee to do justice to this matter.

    “I have few documents I would also want to tender to the committee and before I do that I also want to state with every sense of responsibility that  I am a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

    “I gained admission with an offer of admission on the 6th of September, 1994 and the admission is to study Bachelor of Arts Geography and a copy of that admission letter will be tendered.

    “I also have a second document to tender, my acceptance offer by the university. I also have the third document to tender which is my result from the Ahmadu Bello University certifying me a graduate  of the school.

    “I also have here a document for my registration that I tendered  where I have C5 in CRS, A3 in Agric, C6 in Economics, C6 in Geography, C6 in Biology and a credit in English.

    “I will also tender that as evidence. After my graduation for the Ahmadu Bello University, the school sent my name to the NYSC for the mandatory Service and I participated in the one year NYSC.

    “I served in Police College Kaduna and by the grace of God, that year I won the National Prize of the DG and it is on record and verifiable and I beg to tender my discharge certificate from NYSC,’’ he said

    “My name as an undergraduate was Daniel Jonah Melaye. Jonah is actually my father’s name, so that is what I have on my university certificate.

    “But because I am now popularly known as Dino I applied to the court and asked that I needed an affidavit for change of name before my admission and I submitted it to ABU.

    “I will tender my Identity cards and I came here with a copy of my final year project duly signed by my head of department in the Faculty of Arts as it was then called.”

    When the committee’s proceedings began, Ndume, who raised the issue, was not at the hearing room.

    Clerk of the committee, Freedom Osolo, told the committee that Ndume could not be reached.

    When Ndume eventually came, he was asked why he raised the issue.

    Ndume told the committee that he did not write any petition, but only raised a point of order to draw the attention of the Senate to a newspaper publication.

    He said: “I did not petition. I only raised a point of order. That is Order 14 and 15. That is, when an issue about a lawmaker comes up, we have the right to bring it up. I made a request. The decision to bring this case before this committee is not my doing. It was the decision of the Senate. I did not expect that it will generate this kind of attention.

    “I came here with my own certificate. I was here when the Vice Chancellor said Melaye graduated from the school in 1999. I do not know how you can graduate in 2000, but went for your NYSC in 1999. I do not understand.”

    Anyanwu corrected Ndume. He said the vice chancellor had cleared the air on when Melaye graduated. He said contrary to Ndume’s claims, Melaye’s NYSC discharge certificate shows that he did the compulsory one year national programme in 2000, after his graduation.

    Anyanwu retorted on another point raised by Ndume and said: “You said you did not write any petition, but only raised a point of order. Did you as a senator do any due diligence before you brought the case before the Senate?”

    Ndume again reacted: “That is not my job. That is the job of the committee. I only raised a point of order. I am not Punch Newspaper and I did not write this report.”

    Deputy Senate Leader Bala Na’Allah, who doubles as vice chairman of the Ethics committee explained more: “Is not about the procedure or the contents of the complaints. You are aware that you are a former Leader of the Senate. You are aware that the public, having formed an opinion, based on what you presented, that we clear this whole thing? I am sure we have cleared your mind since you have seen the discharge certificate. What will be your conclusion when you leave here?

    Ndume reacted: “Let me add that I called the attention of the Senate because I feel it is my responsibility to do that. I did not do it in isolation. It has happened before. It cannot be swept under the carpet. He has presented everything. What more do I have to say? What I did was to protect the integrity of the Senate.”

    Ndume left the hearing room at about 2.44pm.