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Tag: Saraki

  • Saraki’s official vehicles due for change, says Senate

    The Senate yesterday dismissed reports by an online medium, Premium Times, seeking to present the upper legislative body as insensitive for proposing to purchase vehicles for the use of members.

    It said the project vehicles were meant for the execution of committee assignments.

    In a statement by its spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate said the automobiles were part of the necessities, which the institution usually provides to committees to enable them function without depending on external bodies for effective performance of oversight functions.

    “The vehicles are not meant for individual senators. They are purchased for use of the committees.

    “For those who may want to find out what happened to the ones bought in the past, we cannot expect that after four years, the vehicles will still be in the condition to effectively serve the present committees. The best practice in government institutions and even private organisations is for official vehicles allocated to top officials after four years of use to be sold at the depreciated value,” Abdullahi said.

    He went on: “We have been very frugal, responsive and responsible in our spendings.  We have also cut down on several expenses. However, there are certain expenses and purchases that are normal in government and any organisation. The  legislature is not an exception.

    “With respect to the official vehicles of the Senate president, it should be noted that majority of the vehicles in his convoy are his personal vehicles, while some of the vehicles that he inherited, including his official vehicles and the back up car, are so old that they are developing fault and not fit for long journeys. We can recall that on several occasions, his official car broke down. Three instances will suffice here. I remember on a visit to Nasarawa State for a wedding of the daughter of a colleague. Other occasions were at the National Mosque three weeks ago and at the Abuja airport.

    “The implication is that the vehicles in his official convoy are so old that they are causing embarrassment for the Senate. The media should know that a man of his antecedent will not at this point be excited with  new cars. His official cars are overdue for replacement.

    “The media should avoid deliberately portraying the legislature as irresponsible and inciting the people against it. We seek the understanding of the media to explain issues and situations to the people. Both the media and the legislature have different roles to play in sustaining our democracy and none should be seen to be undermining the other.”

  • Saraki advocates for collective fight to save environment

    Saraki advocates for collective fight to save environment

    Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, at the weekend in Paris, France, urged his counterparts from across the world to become champions of the cause for saving the environment in their various jurisdictions.

    Saraki, while presiding over a session of the Globe COP 21 legislators summit inside the French National Assembly Complex with the theme ‘Developments in National Legislation on Climate Change, Disaster, Risk Reduction, Energy and Sustainable Development – Towards Integrated National Planning on the 2015 Agenda’, said the success of the current move to make the environment safer for all living beings requires effective and efficient leadership which legislators were better placed to provide.

    He challenged legislators at the global summit to go back to their home countries and domesticate the issues raised and share the experiences gathered in order to spread the success recorded in some places and avoid the mistakes encountered in some other countries.

    He said: “We must make changes through our parliaments. Parliamentarians are better placed to lead the campaign through legislations and advocacy programs for the needed change of attitude, required investment and consistent attention necessary to reduce global warming and its dangerous consequence.”

    Also speaking during the session, Representative Kenza El-Ghali, who is Vice President of the Chamber of Representatives in the Kingdom of Morroco, narrated the consistent laws and policies which the North African nation had initiated since 1992 towards promoting sustainable environment in line with global best practices.

    She said Morroco had initiated water and agriculture policies, which have helped to promote a clean environment, adding that since 2010, the focus has shifted to having an energy policy focused on solar power through which 16,000 jobs have been created.

    In his contribution at the session, Dr. Kennedy Graham, President of Globe in New Zealand, said his country has the specific challenge of earthquake and that the development has tasked the initiative of policy makers on the need to avert disaster and mitigate losses suffered by citizens during disasters.

    Graham said one of such policies already introduced in New Zealand is the Resource Management Act, which he described as the first law to promote bio-diversity.

    From Brazil, Senator Jorge Viana who is the Vice President of the Senate said the Parliamentarians present in Paris must take fundamental steps which are aimed at reducing the rate of global warming to not more than one and a half percent.

    Congressman Leo Ricardo from Mexico said his country in 2012 was the first developing country to work out an agreement for bio-diversity, reduce DHT, protect citizens and boost the national economy, while canvassing the need for nations to embrace renewable, efficient and safe energy.

    Senator Ed Markey, Chair of the United States Senate Committee on Climate Change Clear House and Hon. Jairam Ramesh from India emphasised the need for parliamentarians to ensure mass mobilisation of their constituents in support of the idea and ideals of a ‘save the environment campaign.’

  • Supreme Court rules on Saraki Feb 5

    Supreme Court rules on Saraki Feb 5

    The Supreme Court yesterday fixed February 5 for judgment in an appeal by Senate President  Bukola Saraki, challenging his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    Saraki is on trial at the CCT on allegations of false declaration of assets.

    At the resumed hearing, Saraki’s lawyer Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN) told the panel of seven Justices, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mahmud Mohammed, that they formulated six issues for determination.

    He argued that the charge against Saraki could not stand in the face of the law because there was no substantive attorney-general of the federation (A-GF) when it was instituted.

    The lawyer  said as at the time Saraki was put on trial, there was no evidence that an A-GF delegated his power to institute criminal charge against him as required by the law.

    Daudu also argued that the tribunal was not properly constituted as stipulated by law.

    According to him, the law provided that the CCT shall only sit with a three-member panel.

    He said the tribunal had only two members, including the chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, and could not form a quorum.

    The lawyer further argued that by implication, if there was a disagreement, the chairman could impose his views on the other member.

    But counsel to the Federal Government Mr Rotmi Jacobs (SAN) urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.

    He said the CCT was properly constituted and had power to go ahead with two members.

    Jacobs argued that two of the three members formed a quorum in compliance with the Interpretation Act.

  • Buhari, Saraki meet at Aso Rock

    Buhari, Saraki meet at Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari met with the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday.

    Saraki, who was wearing blue babanriga, arrived for the closed-door meeting without his usual high number of aides.

    The meeting which lasted for about one hour was described as private.

    Emerging from the meeting, Saraki did not speak with journalists.

    No official statement has been issued concerning the meeting as at the time of filing this report.

  • Supreme Court to rule on Saraki’s appeal February 5

    Supreme Court to rule on Saraki’s appeal February 5

    Supreme Court has fixed February 5 next year for judgment in the appeal filed by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, challenging his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    Saraki is facing a 13-count charge of alleged false declaration of assets at the CCT.

    A seven-man panel, headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed, chose the day a moment ago after listening to parties argued and adopted their briefs.

    Saraki’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), argued among others that the CCT lacked the requisite jurisdiction to try the Senate President and urged the court to allow the appeal.

    The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the majority decision of the Court of Appeal.

     

  • Saraki laments deaths in hostel fire

    Saraki laments deaths in hostel fire

    Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday decried the death of seven pupils in a fire at their hostel at the Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Jogana, Kano State.

    In a condolence message to the Kano State government, families of the victims and the school management, Saraki said he was sad by the news of the fire, which wrought havoc on the girls’ hostel at a time the state was recovering from the attack by Boko Haram insurgents.

    He urged the Kano State government and relevant security agencies to unravel the cause of the incident to prevent a recurrence.

    Saraki wished the injured pupils in the incident a quick recovery.

  • Count me out of N60b arms deal – Saraki

    Count me out of N60b arms deal – Saraki

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday dissociated himself from the N60billion arms deal involving the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

    Saraki in a statement  issued by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, said that contrary to report published on an online medium, SaharaReporters, he never had anything to do with purchase of security equipment.

    The Senate President noted that in his entire political career he never served in any committee or body which had any link with defence or national security.

    It said: “As a member of the Seventh Senate, Dr. Saraki was not a member of any of the committees with oversight function on the Ministry of Defence or the intelligence and national security apparatus.

    “If he was tagged the leader of the opposition to the Jonathan administration, how then will he be privy to arms purchases and have the influence to blackmail any government agency or institution over the release of funds.”

     

     

     

  • Supreme Court to hear Saraki’s appeal Thursday

    Supreme Court to hear Saraki’s appeal Thursday

    The Supreme Court has picked Thursday for hearing on the appeal filed by Senate President, Bukola saraki.

    The apex court’s decision to hear the appeal this week was contained in hearing notices sent to parties in the case, a copy of which The Nation sighted on Monday.

    Saraki is challenging the decision of the Code of Conduct tribunal (CCT) to assume jurisdiction over the false asset declaration charges brought against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

    The Court of Appeal, in a split decision of two-to-one upheld the CCT’s jurisdiction to hear the charges, a decision Saraki appealed at the Supreme Court.

    The apex court had on November 12 directed the CCT to suspend proceedings in the trial pending determination of the appeal.

    A five-man bench of the court, led by Justice John Fabiyi gave the directive for a halt in the proceedings before the CCT following an undertaking by respondents’ lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), to the effect that since the court has granted accelerated hearing in the appeal, he will prevail on the CCT not to proceed with trial until the apex court pronounce on Saraki’s appeal.

     

  • Buhari, Senators meet in Aso Rock Thursday

    Buhari, Senators meet in Aso Rock Thursday

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, will on Thursday lead other Senators to a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The agenda of the meeting scheduled to take place in Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, is not immediately known

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over Wednesday’s plenary session, had asked Senators to converge in front of the Senate President’s office by 7: 00pm for onward departure to the Villa for the meeting.

    Ekweremadu did not disclose the agenda of the parley.

    Some insiders, however, said the meeting may not be unconnected with the desire of the Senate Leadership to mend the frosty relationship between the Presidency and the Senate leadership.

    The Nation gathered that the Senators might use the opportunity of the parley to table the poor financial state of affairs at the National Assembly before President Buhari.

    Finding also showed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who held emergency meeting closed door meeting on Tuesday, discussed the Villa meeting.

     

  • Fed Govt urges Supreme Court to allow Saraki’s trial before CCT

    Fed Govt urges Supreme Court to allow Saraki’s trial before CCT

    THE Federal Government has asked the Supreme Court to allow Senate President Bukola Saraki’s trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    Saraki was arraigned before the CCT last month on a 13-count charge of false asset declaration. Proceedings in the trial have been temporarily suspended by the apex court pending the determination of the appeal by Saraki against his trial.

    But the Federal Government asked the apex court to uphold the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, that the CCT had jurisdiction to try Saraki and that the charge against him was valid, even when it was not endorsed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

    The government’s position is contained in the respondents’ brief by its lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), against Saraki’s appellant’s brief before the Supreme Court.

    The government urged the apex court to dismiss Saraki’s appeal and hold that the Court of Appeal was right in its decision that the CCT was properly constituted with a chairman and a member.

    The government also urged the apex court to uphold the Appeal Court’s majority decision  that  the competence of the charges were not affected by the fact that it was signed by a deputy director in the Ministry of Justice when there was no Attorney General of the Federation.

    It argued that “the exercise of the power conferred on law officers to initiate criminal proceedings under subsection (2) of Section 174 of the constitution is not dependent on the existence of a sitting Attorney-General of the Federation”.

    The government contended  that there was no conflict between Paragraph 15 (1) of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution and Section 28 of the Interpretation Act, which, according to him, provided that two of the three members of the CCT would form the quorum that could validly conduct proceedings of the tribunal.

    On Saraki’s contention that the tribunal was not a criminal court and hence lacked the power to issue arrest warrant, the government argued that from the wordings of Paragraph 18 (1) of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, the powers conferred on the CCT to find guilt and impose punishment, could only be exercised by a criminal court.

    The government faulted the appellant’s argument of improper service of the summons on him to appear before the CCT on September 18.

    It urged the apex court to dismiss the argument on the grounds that the issue was not raised before the CCT, but only raised for the first time before the Court of Appeal.

    On Saraki’s claim that the CCT ignored the Federal High Court when he was arraigned, the government urged the apex court to uphold the Court of Appeal’s view that since the Federal High Court did not make any order on September 18, 2015, restraining the CCT from sitting, the issue of disobedience of that order or the superiority of the Federal High Court did not arise.

    No date is fixed yet for the hearing of Saraki’s appeal.