THE emergence of Senator Ahmed Lawan as the Leader of the Senate is the triumph of party supremacy, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said yesterday.
He added that it was an indication that one of the crises that threatened the party had been dealt with.
Oyegun, who spoke when the leadership of the APC Senate Caucus visited the party’s National Working Committee, said it was gratifying to note that one of the major issues that had been a thorn on the party’s flesh and tended to inhibit the smooth-running of the Senate had been put to rest.
He said why the party regretted that it took so long to arrive at the new position, “what is important is that it has finally happened. What is important is that the APC Caucus in the Senate is now a one united body. The APC caucus in the Senate will now take full charge, full control and full dominance as the governing party and the majority party in the Senate.
“What is important is that with the action of our partners in the Senate, there is now clear, full reconciliation between the National Assembly and the party. It is also clear that given the fact that we are a party of change, certain principles must be observed.
“What is right is what is right and it is now clear that the authority and the supremacy of the party have finally been recognised, which is a critical ingredient to the smooth-functioning of the apparatus of governance.”
“Today, we can stand up and tell the whole world with full-confidence that these things they used to refer to as crises within the APC are now on the way to fully and permanently put behind us.
“Today, we have a united party, a united Senate and a Senate that is firmly under the control of the APC. That will only mean one thing and that is the fact that we recognise the challenge before this nation. We all recognise the fact that we must line up behind Mr. President.
“This is a critical year and we have a beautiful budget. The Senate is united, the party is strengthened and consolidated and so, it is time to put our weight behind the Executive to show that the project is fully and faithfully executed so that the people of this nation will begin to see the change that we promised.
“It is not yet Uhuru because there is still a lot of hard work for the party and the Senate as well as the Executive.
“But united and together without the distractions of the past, we can now look at the nation and say yes, 2017 will be a year when the major problems of this nation will start to be put behind us.”
He, however, said the removal of the former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, “was not as a result of any misdeed on his part or as a result of loss of confidence of his colleagues, but as a result of a necessary act that had to be done to reunite the Senate”.
Senate Leader Senator Ahmed Lawan, representing Yobe North, said with the decision of the APC caucus, party’s factions in the Senate have collapsed into one united family and ready to work for the party’s interest and the nation.
Lawan reminded the party’s leadership that at this critical stage in the life of the APC government and with the unity now existing within the party in the Senate, the APC government has no reason not to deliver on its campaign promises.
Tag: Senate Leader
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Lawan’s emergence as Senate leader victory for party’s supremacy, says Oyegun
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Saraki: No crisis over Senate Leader’s removal
Senate President Bukola Saraki said yesterday that there was no crisis in the Senate following removal of Ali Ndume as Senate Leader.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus in the Senate, in a letter to the Senate president on Tuesday, replaced Ndume with Senator Ahmed Lawan.
Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Saraki said that the institution was bigger than any senator.
He said: “There is no crisis in the National Assembly; things like this do happen and as you said, the institution is bigger than everybody and I am sure that he and everybody else will always work for the interest of the institution and for the interest of the country. Everything is calm, solid and fine.”
Reminded about Ndume’s remark that he knew nothing about it, he said: “I am sure you have not read his statement today. He has made a different statement today.”
Asked to react to the opinion in some quarters that Ndume was sacrificed, he laughed and said: “Do I look like someone that does things like that?”
On the purpose of his visit to the Villa, Saraki said: “You know getting the government going, getting the National Assembly moving and as you know there is nothing more important to us now than the budget process and the work we need to do in those areas.”
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Senate faults Buhari’s MTEF
…Says proposal ‘empty’
Barely two days after it rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s bid to borrow $29.96 billion, the Senate Thursday faulted the president’s 2017 to 2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).
The upper chamber described the fiscal document which is a prelude to the presentation of the 2017 budget as “completely empty” not worthy of its consideration.
Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who tore the document into shreds, drew the attention of the Senate to a publication where the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma reportedly blamed the National Assembly for the inability of the Presidency to present the 2017 budget in October 2016 as promised.
Ndume who relied on Order 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rules, prayed the Senate to resolve to call Udoma to order.
He noted that it was unfortunate that the Presidency had started once again the blame game that rubbished the 2016 budget.
He said that it was wrong for the Presidency to give Nigerians the impression that the National Assembly was responsible for the avoidable delay in presentation of the 2017 budget especially when it was obvious that the MTEF submitted to the National Assembly was empty.
The Senate Leader noted that when the leadership of the Senate discovered that the MTEF was empty, Udoma was invited to brief the leadership on grey areas of the MTEF/FSP on Tuesday.
He said that the Senate leadership was stunned when Udoma failed to honour the invitation.
He also said that the minister failed to submit vital documents the Senate requested from him.
The Senate Leader who displayed a copy of the MTEF repeatedly said furiously,“ this document is empty, it is completely empty and you cannot build something on nothing.”
Ndume said, “The report with the headline which says, “Budget 2017: Blame National Assembly for failure to meet to meet October target”.
“The Minister of Budget and National Planning Udoma Udoma stated that the suspension of the debate of the MTEF/FSP which lays the foundation for the budget has stalled the Ministry’s plan to transmit the 2017 budget to the National Assembly.
“As the Leader of this Senate and I am responsible for presenting communications, bills from the Executive. You will recall that we received the MTEF on 30th September. Instead of submitting it according to law not later than 1st of September, that is not even the problem.
“I went through and the copies have been circulated. I talked to some experts. Even in this chamber, we have people that you can call experts. If you look at this document that they call MTEF, it is empty. And it doesn’t contain anything. If you have nothing how do you consider nothing?
“Going through and knowing that it is empty, on October 19, 2016 I wrote to the Minister of Budget and National Planning. I crave your indulgence to highlight some of the contents and in the third paragraph, I stated: “To enable the Senate objectively review the MTEF from holistic perspective, we deem it necessary to invite you to a meeting to brief the leadership of the Senate on Tuesday 1st November. The minister failed to turn up.
“Before then, I said you are requested to please send the following documents ahead of the meeting because that is what will make us have something to consider: draft copy of Medium Term Development Plan upon which the 2017 to 2019 MTEF is founded.
“Secondly, I requested that a comprehensive report on the implementation of 2016 budget as of third quarter. And thirdly, fiscal rates taxes, charges etc used to derive the projected revenue.
“Finally, a report on the structure, composition of the debt, funding, sources, how the borrowed funds are to be spent as well as repayment plan and schedule.
“Up till now, there is no communication to that.
“Finally, I have a copy of the request for approval of the Federal Government 2016 to 2018 external borrowing plan, which was thrown out last.
“This is the document that we received. The first paragraph says: “I wish to refer to the above subject and submit the attached draft of Federal Government 2016-2018 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan for consideration and early approval by the National Assembly to ensure prompt implementation of the projects”.
“I don’t know whether the Senate President has the attached document that you did not circulate to us. But as far as I’m concerned there is no attachment here.
“We cannot afford to start the 2017 budget process with this blame game. This Senate is Nigerian Senate. We have the opposition that is co-operating with us and we have the majority in this Senate.
“So, it is not like we are working against the government but we know what we are doing. And we should do it right. When they bring nothing and we ask for something so that we will do it properly, they run to the newspaper to start blaming the National Assembly.”
Also a copy of the letter dated October 19, 2016, and signed by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Ndume, requested Udoma to submit some documents before the scheduled date of briefing the Senate leadership.
Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who appeared not to have found the unfolding development funny, informed the Senate that he personally called Udoma over the issue.
Saraki said that the Minister has denied blaming the National Assembly for the delay in presenting the 2017 budget.
He said that the Senate should be mindful of issues that could breed controversy ahead of the presentation of the 2017 budget.
Saraki said, “I saw this article too. I had taken up the Minister and he denied the article. He said he was going to debunk it. Be that as it may, I think the matter should not be stressed.
“The Leader has made the point that this issue of blame game is totally unnecessary. And if he (Udoma) said that he is withdrawing, that means he has said it as well that the National Assembly is not responsible for any delay.”
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, assured that the National Assembly was ready to receive the 2017 budget from the Presidency any day.
Ekweremadu said, “Now that the statement has either been denied or withdrawn, we need to tell Nigerians the truth. We are here on a full job. We are ready to take the budget presentation anytime. In doing so, the executive must be reminded that everything must be done right. All arms of government must live to its responsibility. The issue of blame game should be put behind us.”
Senate spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi on his part, wondered “if this government is not padded with people who want to frustrate the government.”
Senator Abdullahi also warned about the danger of starting the 2017 budget with controversy.
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Senate dumps Buhari’s bid to borrow $29.96bn
…Saraki saves ambassadorial list
The Senate Tuesday rejected the plan of President Muhammadu Buhari to borrow $29.96 billion under the 2016-2018 External Borrowing Plan.
The upper chamber voted massively against the request of President Buhari to borrow the money.
Twice Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, put the question “That the Senate do consider the request of the President C-in-C on the 2016-2018 External Borrowing Rolling Plan,” twice it was rejected.
Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, moved the motion for the consideration of the request, Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, seconded.
Saraki put the question which was roundly rejected.
Findings showed that the lawmakers were not comfortable with “some glaring omissions in the Executive Communication” forwarded to them by President Buhari.
A source said that the President failed to “attach draft of Federal Government 2016-2018 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan for consideration of the Senate” as indicated in the Executive Communication.
The source added that the last paragraph of the communication gave the impression of anticipatory approval required by President Buhari.
He noted that “by asking the National Assembly leadership to approve the borrowing plan that involves huge sums of funds without formal consideration of the Senate in session smacks some blackmail.”
The last paragraph of the communication said, “Given the emergency nature of these facilities and the need to consolidate the peace and return the region (North East) to normalcy and considering the time it will take to get the National Assembly’s approvals, it has become inevitable to request for the National Assembly leadership approval pending the consideration and approval of the 2016-2018 borrowing plan by the National Assembly to enable us disburse these funds immediately.”
Senator Ndume who spoke on the rejection of the President’s request said that there was technical error in the request.
He however promised to represent the request on a later date.
Ndume said, “I was shocked as the Senate leader that they rejected the programme. I was not anticipating what happened. It was rejected on technical ground. If you look at the letter, it said ‘attached’ but there was no attachment. There are no details. I will appeal to my colleagues and represent it for consideration. There is nothing to worry about. We cannot throw away the baby with the bad water.”
The listed of 46 non-career Ambassadors was also rejected by the Senators but Saraki used his veto power over turn the nay vote.
Saraki also put the question twice for the Senate to consider the request of the President C-in-C on the confirmation of the nomination of the following persons for appointment as non-career Ambassador designate.
It was obvious that the Senators were opposed to the list but Saraki saved the day by over-turning the majority position.
The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Philip Aduda, protested against the list last week because of non-inclusion of FCT nominees in the list.
President Buhari had on Tuesday last week sent a request to the National Assembly to approve external borrowing plan of $29.960 billion to execute key infrastructural projects across the country between 2016 and 2018.
Buhari explained that targeted projects cuts across all sectors with special emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, growth and employment generation.
He listed other sectors to include poverty reduction through social safety net programmes and governance and financial management reforms.
President Buhari said that the cost of the projects and programmes under the borrowing rolling plan is $29.960 billion.
The proposed projects and programmes loan of $11.274 billion, Special National Infrastructure projects $10.686 billion, Euro bonds of $4.5 billion and Federal Government budget support of $3.5 billion.
He explained further that the loan was very necessary in view of the serious infrastructure deficit in the country.
He said the country had huge infrastructure deficit and enormous financial resources required to fill the gap in the face of dwindling resources.
“This is in addition to the inability of our annual budgetary provisions to bridge the deficit. It has become necessary to resort to prudent external borrowing to bridge the financing gap.
“This will largely be applied to key infrastructure projects namely power, railway and roads among others,” he added.
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CCB Act amendment has nothing to do with Saraki’s trial – Ndume
Senate Leader, Alhaji Ali Ndume, said amendment of Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Act had nothing to do with ongoing trial of the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.
Reacting to the debate which the issue has generated among Nigerians, Ndume told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Tuesday that the National Assembly had no particular interest in the bill.
“It is insulting on us to say that we are doing the bidding of Saraki, because laws are not made in retrospect.
“If we make a law today, it cannot immediately invalidate the existing laws on the same issue,” he said.
He said that the main concern of the National Assembly was to make the organization more effective in its functions.
“The amendment focused mainly on two things: that is the age of the chairman of the CCB and the number of persons to be appointed as members of the bureau or the tribunal,” Ndume said.
He added that other issues in the amendment of the Act were secondary to the main ones, pointing out that the Bill for the amendment “did not even emanate from the senate’’.
“Nigerians should know that the bill emanated from the House of Representatives; our own duty was just to concur.
“Since I became the Senate Leader of the 8th Assembly I made a proposition that all bills coming from the house must not be allowed to suffer set back, so, we look at those bills every Thursday for consideration,” he said.
Ndume added that as far as he was concerned “there is no big deal in the bill; laws are not made for individuals.
“The Senate President is Saraki, but Saraki is not the Senators’ president,” he stated.
He cautioned that rather than criticize the bill blindly, Nigerians should look at its merit and other sides, in the interest of the country.
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Economy: Adeosun must appear before Senate-Saraki
Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, was Wednesday asked to appear before the Senate on Thursday to brief the upper chamber about measures the Federal Government is taking to shore up the country’s dwindling economy.
The directive followed the failure of the minister to brief the Senate on Wednesday as scheduled.
Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, informed the Senate in plenary that Adeosun sent a message that she was held up at the Federal Executive Council meeting and therefore could not attend the scheduled briefing.
Ndume said that Senate should give the minister another date to appear for the briefing.
Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio who seconded the motion observed that it was Adeosun who picked the Wednesday date and wondered why she failed to honour the invitation.
Akpabio said that the minister should have taken cognizance of the fact the FEC meeting would hold yesterday.
He added, “We would not take it as a slight and disrespect for the Senate. We will take it as a mistake on her part but it should not repeat itself again because the minister ought to have known about the FEC meeting.”
Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki ruled that Adeosun must be here tomorrow (Thursday).
Saraki noted that the issue of the economy is very important and that Nigerians needed to be informed about what is happening in the economy.
He said, “She must be here tomorrow of today at the end of council meeting because we are here. These are important to Nigerians to know what is happening.”
The Central Bnak of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele took his turn to brief the Senate on Tuesday on the same subject matter.
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Ndume assures on 2016 budget
Senate Leader, Alhaji Muhammad Ndume, on Monday assured that the impasse between the presidency and the National Assembly on the 2016 budget would soon be resolved.
Ndume, representing Borno South, told newsmen in Maiduguri that the resolution was to allow the country to move forward.
He said that the National Assembly was not in conflict with President Muhammadu Buhari on the budget.
“Nigerians should know that the National Assembly does not have any conflict with the president on the budget, but we might have minor disagreement.
“The major challenge that the National Assembly has is not disagreement with the president.
“The challenge that we have is how to do what the president is asking us to do within the law,’’ Ndume said.
According to him, disagreement between legislative and executive arms of government is normal in a democratic system.
“Disagreement between the legislature and executive is normal. The executive prepare the budget and present it to the legislature for processing and the legislature sends it back for assent after processing.
“Usually, the president takes a look at it and if he is comfortable with it, he signs and if he not comfortable, he takes note of the areas and sends it to the legislature for ratification.
“This is where we are now, but the unfortunate thing is that because of the change in government, the attitudes of Nigerians have also changed, which is normal.
“Nigerians are so anxious because Buhari is a new president they are expecting so much from; they are expecting to see changes quickly,’’ Ndume said.
The Senate Leader recalled that the National Assembly had similar disagreement with past presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan on budgets during their tenure.
He said that the leadership of the National Assembly would hold a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari this week in Abuja towards ending the impasse.
“The leadership of the National Assembly will sit down and talk to the president on the issue this week,” Ndume said.
He said that the meeting was earlier slated for last week but was shifted due to some unforeseen circumstances.
“We were supposed to have met last week, but we shifted the meeting to this week due to some factors,’’ Ndume said.
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2016 Budget was rushed – Senate Leader
The Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, on Monday said that the problems the 2016 budget is presently having is because it was rushed before submission to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, the problems associated with the document would however be sorted out to enable the budget to be signed into law.
He said: “We are working on the budget daily. We are working on it collectively for the first time.
“The Executive and the Legislature are looking at the budget collectively. This is the first time we will be doing it this way.
“The matter is not about a date. If we can finish it today, we will hand it over for signature tomorrow.
“In those days, we just pass budgets that are normally not implemented. This is the first time we are doing a budget that the President is looking forward to implement.
“This budget was done in a rush and you know there are some issues that are cropping up. It is no longer going to be business as usual.
“So, those unusual things, if detected, we will work on them. It is not as if we are holding on to the budget. We are working collectively,” he added.
His consultation with the President, he said, was necessary because there were other bills pending before the National Assembly which requires such consultations.
He said: “There are issues that are really on ground. One is the budget. We also have two bills before the Senate that we need to start working on when we resume tomorrow. The Money Laundering Bill and the Criminal Information Sharing Bill
“There are issues other than those ones that are really on ground. This is how we are supposed to be doing it earlier. That is, coming into the Villa to consult and guide the proceedings in the Senate appropriately.
“Other than that, I don’t want you to see it as an unusual visit. I will be doing this often because this is how it is supposed to be.
“Again, I normally consult with the President on a personal basis long before he became the President, so it is not unusual. ” he stated
He disagreed with the suggestions that he was at the Villa to intercede on behalf of Senate President, Bukola Saraki over his ongoing prosecution at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
He said: “I am not the Senate President. The question should be directed to the Senate President.
“You are asking me what I do not know. I consult and if I have to mediate on anything, there should be a problem. I do not know of any problem,” he said.
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Saraki won’t resign unless convicted, says Senate leader
Senate Leader Ali Ndume has said Senate President Bukola Saraki will not step down unless convicted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
He spoke yesterday with State House correspondents after leading senators to a meeting with the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Senate leader noted that it would be hasty to condemn the Senate president before the outcome of the tribunal’s trial since he had not been found guilty.
Ndume said the meeting with the Acting President was not to find a political solution to the travail of the Senate president but to solidarise with Osinbajo.
Asked on the possibility of Nigerians seeing his visit to the Villa as one to seek political solution to Saraki’s travail, he said: “It is not new for people to read meaning. Are you saying that the Senate president should be convicted before the trial? In our constitution, you are considered innocent until proved guilty.”
Speaking on the reason for their visit, he said: “This government is our government. I am the Senate leader, so my coming here today is not supposed to be a new thing. My coming here should be more regular.
“This is not the first time we are coming here. But this is the first time we are having the Vice President as Acting President. That is one of the reasons why we are here.
“This is because we are setting a new example. During the previous government, the President will just go and leave the place,” he said
Continuing, he said: “But this time around when our President went for a few days, he transmitted to Nigerians that the Vice President is to act as the President. So we came for regular consultation. There is nothing new about it and we will be doing more of this.
“You should expect me to be coming here. Now, we have the budget as work in progress; we have the Money Laundering Bill before the Senate, we have many things we are looking at. We have come and consult on these.”
Among those who accompanied Ndume were Dino Melaye and Abdullahi Adamu.
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Saraki won’t resign unless convicted, says Senate Leader
The Senate Leader, Ali Ndume on Tuesday said that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki will not step down from the number three position unless convicted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
He made the remark while speaking with State House correspondents after leading some senators to a meeting with the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Senate Leader also noted that it would be hasty to condemn the Senate President before the outcome of the tribunal’s trial since he has not been pronounced guilty.
Ndume insisted that the closed door meeting with the Acting President was not to find a political solution to the travail of the Senate President but to solidarize with the Acting President.
On possibility of Nigerians believing his visit to Villa was to seek political solution to Saraki’s travail, he said: “It is not new for people to read meaning. Are you saying that the Senate President should be convicted before the trial?
“In our constitution, you are considered innocent until proven guilty,” he added.
Speaking on the reason for their visit, he said: “This government is our government. I am the Senate Leader in this government, so my coming here today is not supposed to be a new thing. My coming here should even be more regular.
“This is not the first time we are coming here. But this is the first time we are having the Vice President as acting President. That is one of the reasons why we are here.
“This is because we are setting a new example. During the previous government, the President will just go and leave the place blank,” he said.
Continuing, he said: “But this time around when our President goes for a few days, he transmitted to all Nigerians that the Vice President is to act as the President. So we came for the regular consultation. There is nothing new about it and we will be doing more of this.
“You should expect me to be coming here. Now we have the budget as work in progress; we have we have the new Money Laundering Bill before the Senate, we have many things we are looking at. We have come to come and consult on these,” he stated.
Among those who accompanied Ndume included Dino Melaye and Abdullahi Adamu.