THE investigative hearing on media reports of alleged youths’ attack on Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, in his constituency, was yesterday stalled by absence ofrepresentatives of Newspapers.
The two newspapers were expected to appear at the probe being conducted on the incident by the Senate Joint Committee on Ethics and Privileges and Media and Public Affairs.
The Senate Leader had on a Point-of-Order on May 23, drawn attention to a report by ThisDay Newspaper entitled: “Senate Majority Leader prevented by angry youths from entering his constituency”.
He had also cited a similar headline by Punch Online of the same day entitled: “Youths accuse Senate Leader of neglect, bar him from working”.
Chairman of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges Senator Sam Anyanwu, who decried the alleged report by the two media organisations, said “this has to stop”.
“This has to do with somebody’s integrity; the man has built his political career for 18 years. If we find evidence that it was fake news, we will not be happy about it.
“We and the press are partners in this project, Nigeria.
“ThisDay and Punch are not here; we are not concluding. We had invited them, we have evidence that they were duly served and acknowledged receipt of the letter.
“We will give them time to appear before the committee,” Anyanwu said.
On his part, Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs Senator Sabi Abdullahi, said it was unfortunate that the two media outfits were absent at the hearing.
In his submission, the complainant, Lawan, said what he was asking from the two organisations was immediate retraction, which had not been done.
“I also demanded for an unreserved public apology to me and my constituents. That did not happen as far as I know.
“The point is, I want a relationship that is cordial, devoid of fake information, poor reportage and unethical conduct.
The committee, thereafter, ordered that the media organisations should appear before it tomorrow.
The Senate Tuesday in a dramatic U-turn withdrew a controversial motion targeted at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The motion entitled, “Undue dramatization of the fight against corruption in Nigeria” was sponsored by Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North)
The motion specifically lampooned the EFCC for alleged “penchant for undue publicity of its body of evidence at the commencement of investigation.”
Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, had called Utazi to present his motion.
Senator Utazi is Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes.
All eyes turned to Senator Utazi’s seat only to discover that he had already left the chamber before Lawan called him to lead debate of his motion.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the day’s plenary, informed his colleagues that the motion had been withdrawn.
Though no further explanation was offered on why the motion was withdrawn by its sponsor, sources said that the leadership of the Senate might have felt uncomfortable with the controversial motion.
One of the sources said that the Senate might have thought it unwise to start a fresh showdown with the anti-graft commission.
Utazi noted in the withdrawn motion published in the Order Paper “EFCC’s approach tends to compromise the strength of the evidence that could be presented to secure conviction in judicial proceedings.
“I am disturbed about the string of losses of corruption and financial crimes-related cases in court in recent past.
“These losses, due mainly to insufficient and sometimes, shoddy investigation and the presentation of inadequate unconvincing body of evidence has cast a dark cloud on the efforts of the current government to reduce corruption in Nigeria to the barest minimum.
“The recourse of, especially the EFCC in blaming the judiciary whenever it loses its case in court is a failure to acknowledge the commission’s shortcomings in the build-up to each case.
“The EFCC’s emphasis on media trial before the conclusion of investigation weakens its case and gives the country a bad image in the comity of nations, discouraging the much-needed foreign investments.
“Nigeria is not the only country that fights corruption and related crimes with the requisite zeal, but we do not hear of putrid stories of sleazy discoveries put out by countries’ anti-corruption agencies to every medium of communication to portray the country in bad light.
“The sudden discoveries of abandoned loot, at airports, in septic and water tanks, in high-brow apartments and the dramatization of the process of the discovery of these orphaned monies paint the anti-corruption war in unpalatable colours, giving the world an impression of a group seeking applause through propaganda and engaging in a circus show to a rather grave national effort.”
The Enugu North lawmaker prayed the Senate to urge the EFCC to de-emphasis propaganda and undue publicity in its operations and concentrate on the competent discharge of its core mandate.
The Senate Thursday asked the nominated National Lottery Commission, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, to stay away from office until his appointment is confirmed by the Senate.
Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, gave the order after listening to the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan on alleged assumption of duty by Gbajabiamila without Senate approval.
Senator Dino Melaye had on Wednesday told the Senate that President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a DG for the National Lottery Commission who has assumed duty without Senate confirmation.
Saraki mandated Lawan to follow up Melaye’s information to establish the truth about it.
Lawan who briefed the Senate yesterday confirmed that “indeed the National Lottery Commission Director General has assumed duty.”
Lawan said that the DG agreed that he assumed duty without Senate confirmation apparently in error.
Lawan said, “The nominee for the office of the Director-General of National Lottery Regulatory Commission actually assumed office. I think he was misadvised and therefore assumed office without being confirmed. But there is a genuine appeal that such thing will not happen again. I have advised that the nominee should not be seen around the office.”
Saraki said, “I think you will agree with me that the Leader has done a very thorough job. Not only that, he has responded promptly within 24 hours first of all to establish that the point raised by Senator Dino was factual and he got the assurances that this type of thing will not happen again.
“We therefore stamp it out and it must not occur again. He has erred and he must probably have been misguided but definitely he must not be seen reporting in that area. Definitely, that must not happen.
“Going forward, for nominees and the executive, we must respect our laws and our processes. Even if he did it, somebody should have been there to direct and guided him. Those who are eager to resume should tarry a while and follow the due process. We will close this matter here.”
Senator George Thompson Sekibo (Rivers East) was not impressed.
“I rise on the issue and the very good explanation that was brought by the Leader eloquently delivered and truly accepted. I accept it, I am not against it. I am not asking for sanction but my problems are two.
“When you are bringing a complex matter and you are bringing it under personal explanation, for me it is misdirecting the House. This matter is a complex matter and personal explanation should not be a controversial matter. Then you are bringing major controversial matter. Somebody who is fragrantly violating the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 5(1)(b), and you just bring it under personal explanation and he finished talking and sat down as if nothing has happened.
“Sir, it is a major issue. I am saying for caution, next time issues of this nature should not come under personal explanation. They should look for other orders to bring it so that it is open to us to debate. We will not remove the man, we will agree with him because he is our leader. But to block and close our mouth, I don’t think it is the best for all of us.”
…2016 budget to run till end of June, says Ekweremadu
The Senate Thursday deferred the presentation and consideration of the 2017 budget report.
The presentation and subsequent consideration of the budget report would have paved the way to the passage of the budget submitted to the National Assembly on December 14th, 2016.
Although the submission of the report was listed as the first business of the day in yesterday’s Order Paper, it was stepped down.
The inability of the Senate Appropriation committee to conclude work on the fiscal document was cited as the reason for stepping it down.
Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, told his colleagues that members of the Appropriation committee of the Senate and House of Representatives were working assiduously to resolve grey areas in the money bill.
Senator Lawan further informed that the budget report is now expected to be laid on May 9th, 2017.
The Senate leader did not say whether the budget will be passed on Tuesday.
Lawan said: “The committee chairman on Appropriations is not here. His counterpart who chairs the Finance committee is not here either. I am aware that members of Senate Appropriation committee are currently meeting with their counterparts in the House of Representatives, trying to settle the differences.
“I have also equally been informed that by the grace of God, the budget of 2017 will be laid on Tuesday. Having said this, I will move that we stand down this report till Tuesday.”
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the day’s legislative business, said that there was no need to apprehension over the passage of the budget.
Ekeremadu noted that the 2016 budget could still run till end of June, within which the 2017 budget would be passed.
Ekweremadu said, “Let me also emphasise for the benefit of the public that we were ready to receive this report today. It was only this morning that it was necessary for us to be sure that we are on the same page with the House of Representatives to avoid any possible conferencing.
“So we will like to see the House and the Senate laying just the same documents so that once we pass, we will now send the documents to the President for assent.
“I think this is important that the point be made and the public know that the harmonization which is going on should be concluded over the weekend to enable us receive the budget report by Tuesday and by the grace of God, have it passed by next week and we will send it to the President for assent.
“Let me also inform the public as well that the tenure of the 2016 budget ends today the 5th because it was signed into law on the 6th of May 2016, but under the constitution, the Federal Government is entitled to continue to spend money based on the 2016 estimates up to the 30th of June, 2017.
“But we will not allow us to get into the reliance on the constitutional provision. Hopefully by the grace of God, we will have this budget next week. We will pass it so that implementation will start in earnest. So I just want to appeal for the understanding of the people of Nigeria.”
President Muhammadu Buhari signed the 2016 budget into law on the 6th of May, 2016.
The lifespan of the 2016 budget expires today, Friday, 5th May, 2017.
There was apprehension of a possible shutdown if the budget is not passed and assented to today.
Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Thursday said that the Senate will work out special protection strategy to protect its members against rising cases of assassination attempts and harassment.
Saraki, who spoke against the backdrop of the reported assassination attempt against Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) and the raid of the home of Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje, noted that the upper chamber would take steps to ensure the protection its members.
The Senate President spoke at the inauguration of an ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged attempted assassination on Melaye.
Represented by the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, Saraki said that investigation into the assassination attempt on Melaye should be fully investigated by the committee.
He noted that the probe would also articulate ways and means to protect members of the National Assembly against infringement and threats to their lives.
He said: “The 1999 Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to life. Like every Nigerian, a Senator or member of the National Assembly deserves to be protected against infringement, threat and harassment.
“The reported incidence in Kogi State where armed assassins invaded the house of a sitting Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Dino Melaye with the intention of taking his life is frightening and must be fully investigated.”
Saraki added that effort must be made to “ensure that no Senator or member of the legislature is put in a position where he or she will feel his life is threatened in such a manner as to affect his judgment and thereby weaken hiss moral compass and ability to act without fear or favour.
“The investigation will seek to unearth the remote and immediate issues connected with, and leading to the ugly incident.”
Saraki asked members of the committee to discharge their task with great sense of responsibility, diligence and care.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Jibrin Barau, noted that though “the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incidents are still unclear”, the panel would dig deep into the matter to establish the truth of the issue.
Barau assured that the committee in carrying out its mandate would do so with the utmost sense of duty, bearing in mind the seriousness of the assignments.
…Govs should publish salary, security votes, LG funds too – Dogara
Kaduna State Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai on Friday hit hard on the National Assembly (NASS) members, saying their budget lacks transparency.
This was just as he said the NASS, particularly the Senate, is seen as an opposition to the fight against corruption being championed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
El-Rufai stated categorically that the NASS is seen as one of the fighters of the war against corruption, stressing that though, he does not believe it is entirely true, neither does he believe that it is entirely false.
The governor stated this in his goodwill message at the closing ceremony of the 5-day retreat of the National Assembly management personnel held in Kaduna.
Dogara
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Yakubu Dogara in a swift reaction told the Governor to champion the campaign for transparency in the budget, saying that, he would like to see Governors publish their monthly salaries, allowances, security votes and local government funds.
Governor El-Rufai who reacted to the paper presented by the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said he won’t be diplomatic like Baba-Ahmed, but blunt, because he doesn’t work for the National Assembly.
According to him, “the National Assembly is seen as an opposition to the fight against corruption, the National Assembly particularly the Senate is seen as one of the fighters of the war against corruption and that image has to be worked on, now that we are going towards election year, the leadership and members of the National Assembly has to do something about the narratives.
“I don’t believe that it is entirely true, I also don’t believe it is entirely false but it is important that the National Assembly do something about its image.”
On the budget of the NASS, the governor noted that “no transparency in your (NASS) budget, nobody knows your budget, how much you get paid. Publications are made about your salaries and allowances that I don’t believe are true but cannot be defended because there is no transparency about your budget, personal cost and so on and so forth. I think you can do something about that to clear all the rumours and remove all the evil stories that are largely untrue,” he stressed.
Speaker while delivering his address, however, told the Governor that instructions have already been given to the appropriate quarters to publish the National Assembly budget.
The Speaker who expressed reservation about joining issues with the Governor said, “you will have some kind of misfortune if you attempt to join issues with intellectuals like my Elder, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, but as intellectuals we expand issues and add to discussion, so I will like to challenge you to champion the call for transparency in budgeting and budgetary process of NASS to other arms of government.
Most repeated words in the report include National Assembly, Budget, Corruption, Senate, NASS, etc.
“We want to see Chief Executives of states published how they are paid, what they spend monthly as security votes, and also publish what happens to local government funds,” he challenged the governor.
Similarly, the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan who represented the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki at the occasion said, the National Assembly fights corruption and support the fight against it at all levels of governance contrary to whatever belief of many.
He said: “In the National Assembly, we fight corruption through our support and as a matter of facts, the anti-corruption agencies are our creation and for our budget, it is always in the public domain.”
He said, the legislature and Executive must work together to deliver on promises to Nigerians, adding that, Nigerians expect higher and better performances in terms of service, as legislators we are prepared to continue to support the administration of President Buhari either through the fight against corruption or in the confirmation of political appointees.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu will be leading a delegation of the Senate leading six other senators to the South African parliament over the recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.
Other senators on the delegation include the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan; Senate Chief Whip, Olusola Adeyeye; Stella Oduah; Shehu Sani; Shaaba Lafiaji; and Magnus Abe.
The senators are to officially table complaints to their South African counterparts and discuss ways of preventing such attacks in the future.
A number of Nigerians living in South Africa were physically attacked and their businesses destroyed by some misguided South African youths who felt the Nigerians had taken up job opportunities meant for them.
The Southern African country has a notorious history of frequent xenophobic attacks on citizens of other countries living and doing business in that country.
Attempts by certain groups in Nigeria to launch reprisal attacks on South African business interests in major cities in Nigeria were prevented by the Nigerian authorities, which had opted for diplomatic approach in resolving the issue.
…Defaulting MDAs to receive zero capital allocations
The Senate Wednesday gave ministers and heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) a two day ultimatum to appear before its relevant committees to defend their agencies’ 2017 budgets.
The upper chamber warned that recalcitrant ministers and heads of MDAs who failed to appear within Thursday and Friday would have themselves to blame as their agencies would receive zero capital allocations.
The ultimatum is coming even as the Senate suspended plenary till Tuesday to allow affected MDAs to appear before its committees.
Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, who moved the motion to suspend plenary noted that the leadership of the Senate had been informed that some heads of MDAs failed to appear to defend their agencies’ budgets.
Lawn said that the Senate would have no other option than to pass the budget without considering the budget of any MDA that failed to defend its budget.
The Senate Leader noted that it was discovered that there were issues pending to be resolved with some MDAs.
Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, who underscored the implications of what Lawan said insisted that heads of MDAs must defend their budget on or before Friday.
Saraki noted that the Senate would not allow few individuals to hold the country to ransom by flagrantly failing to honour invitations from committees.
He said that the extension of the budget defence session would affect the earlier date scheduled by the National Assembly to pass the 2017 budget.
The Senate President said that the National Assembly has set the second week of March as the new target to pass the budget.
Saraki said: “The plenary has been suspended till next week to allow the committees to complete the budget defence. From the meeting we had on Tuesday, it shows that a number of ministers and chief executives of MDAs have not come to make their budget defence and we are going to give them today and tomorrow to do that.
“Any minister or head of agency that does not do that by Friday, we are not going to keep this open and hold the country to ransom because of a few people. We have already lost a week because we should have finished this by end of last week and start receiving reports.
“This is a final warning to all those required to ensure that unfailingly by today or tomorrow, they should appear before the committees. After that, the committees are allowed to do as they wish on their budgets.”
Saraki also said that the leadership of the Senate would meet with the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo yesterday to resolve grey areas in the budget.
He said, “Those who are meant to re-submit certain corrections should do that by the end of Friday. It is our hope that by next week, all reports should have been submitted to the Appropriation Committee and for them to start receiving the reports for those that have completed their work. It is very important that this is done.
“The leadership will also be meeting with the Acting President this evening (yesterday) to try and iron out these issues. This is because we are determined that we must pass this budget within the second week of March. That is our target. So, we hope that this meeting will also help to speed up some of these discrepancies and clear them.”
Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, warned that heads of MDAs who failed to appear before the committees will have zero capital budget allocations.
On Tuesday, standing committee chairmen were in a closed session with the leadership of the Senate to brief on the budget defence.
It was learnt that the committee chairmen complained bitterly about the uncooperative attitude of some ministers and heads of agencies.
The chairmen were also said to have pointed out inconsistencies in the 2017 budget document.
It was learnt that the lawmakers demanded breakdown of the N500 billion voted as intervention funds.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, was named as one of those who failed to appear before the committee to defend the budgets of his ministry.
The Director General of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) was also said to have failed to appear to defend the budget of the corporation.
Other issues raised were alleged ‘phoney’ proposals including fake budgets for items such as computers, funds for maintenance of generators and other proposals and items said to have been duplicated.
Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan yesterday met with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House,
He briefed him on the progress made by the Senate in the consideration of the 2017 Appropriation bill.
According to him, Senators on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC) and the opposition parties are unanimous in their support for President Muhammadu Buhari.
He spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.
He said: “I’m here to meet the Acting President to brief him on what the Senate is doing on the Appropriation Bill 2017. You know we have suspended plenaries for three weeks. The idea is to have ample time to focus on the appropriation bill. The committees will start to work from this week —meeting the MDAs on the budget defence that they need to do.
He said: “Secondly, you know that the Acting President is an APC members.
As a new Senate Leader, it is also important that I come here to this office to tell the Acting President and our administration that the APC caucus in the Senate is now a united caucus.
“We are ready as a caucus to support our administration; we are also ready as a Senate, that is both the APC and the minority parties, to work for the betterment of Nigerians. Our colleagues in the opposition have always been supportive and being there for the Senate to function.”
The whole development, he said, is to ensure that the government delivers on its campaign promises to Nigerians.
..Says opposition Senators cooperating with Buhari
The new Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, on Monday met with the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the State House and briefed him on the progress made so far by the Upper Chamber in the consideration of the 2017 Appropriation bill at the National Assembly.
According to him, Senators on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition parties are unanimous in their support for President Muhammadu Buhari.
He spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the closed door meeting.
He said: “I’m here to meet the Acting President to brief him on what the Senate is doing on the Appropriation Bill 2017. You know we have suspended plenaries for three weeks. The idea is to have ample time to focus on the appropriation bill. The committees will start to work from this week meeting the MDAs on the budget defence that they need to do.
“Secondly, you know that the Acting President is an APC Acting President of this our administration. As a new Senate Leader, it is also important that I come here to this office to tell the Acting President and our administration that the APC caucus in the Senate is now a united caucus.
“We are ready as a caucus to support our administration; we are also ready as a Senate, that is both the APC and the minority parties, to work for the betterment of Nigerians. Our colleagues in the opposition have always been supportive and being there for the Senate to function.” he added
The whole development, he said, is to ensure that the government delivers on its campaign promises to Nigerians with the executive and the legislature working hand in hand.
“So that our campaign promises become real and available to all Nigerians for the betterment of the country,” he said
