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Tag: Senate President Bukola Saraki

  • Saraki alleges threat to life, fingers APC thugs, Police

    Senate President Bukola Saraki is alleging threat to his life and those of his family in Ilorin, Kwara State.

    He accused thugs allegedly sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the police as the brains behind the alleged move to eliminate him and his family.

    Addressing reporters in Abuja yesterday, Saraki  who doubles as  the Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation claimed that on Thursday, APC thugs “shielded by policemen went to my family quarters in Agbaji in Ilorin, and vandalized houses, shops and inflicted wounds with matchetes  on three people.”

    He said: “All these destructions took place in the presence of policemen who came with them but watched without any care, as the APC thugs and supporters unleashed violence on our people.

    “For me, personally, I believe the decision to attack people and properties in my family ancestral compound is a direct affront and attack on my person.

    “And whatever signal these APC elements with support from the police believe they are sending is definitely sinister, uncivilized and unfortunate.”

    The Senate President said the police continued to show undisguised hostility toward him and his supporters in the state.

    The former Kwara State Governor said reports of the attacks were filed in relevant police stations in Ilorin, but expressed doubts that anything tangible and constructive would come out of the reports.

    He stated further that as part of the plot, the police, under the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, on Thursday, commenced the transfer of Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) out of Kwara State.

    Saraki called on Nigerians and the entire world to hold the IGP responsible should anything untoward happen to him and members of his family.

    “While the police are free to take decisions on the deployment of their personnel, we found the postings in Kwara State strange and more than a mere coincidence,” he said.

    “It should also be noted that IGP has posted three different Commissioners of Police to Kwara State in the last six months. In fact, the previous and current Commissioner of Police in the state got strict instructions from the IGP not to relate or engage with the Senate President”, Saraki added.

    According to him, the usual practice has been that the Commissioner of Police personally ensures the security of the Senate President whenever he visits his home state.

    He said all his predecessors in office were accorded that security cover whenever they visited their home states and that he also enjoyed it in his first year in office from 2015 to 2016.

    Saraki expressed apprehension over his personal safety as the ward to ward electioneering campaign is about to begin across the state.

    Said he, “We need to make it clear to the entire world that now that ward to ward campaign is about to begin in the state and I am set to participate in that grassroots campaign, as I have always done, nobody is sure what instructions Mr. Idris has given to the police command in the state.

    “Thus, the entire world should hold the IGP responsible if anything untoward happens to members of my family and myself”.

    Deploring the role of the IGP in the entire plot, Saraki continued, “Do not forget that before now, this same IGP has tried several tricks to implicate me in some criminal charges.

    “First, he arrested some cultists and was about to compel them to claim they worked for me. We exposed the trick early enough and the media also pointed out holes in his story. He quickly withdrew that.

    “Later, he went on to the Offa robbery case and politicized the investigation in order to rope me. In the process of forcing suspects to implicate me, the principal suspect died in their custody.”

  • Senate President: Recovery from recession fragile

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has described Nigeria’s recovery from economic recession as fragile, adding that the fundamentals underlying the recovery remain weak.

    In a speech, which was meant to be delivered at the budget presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly, Saraki said: “Without doubt, the last three-and-a-half years have been eventful ones at the global level and in our domestic economy. From dips in oil prices to major shifts in the economic landscape, crude oil production shut-ins and security challenges, the economy and Nigerians have been directly impacted by these events.

    “Many businesses closed down and many people lost their jobs during the recent recession. In the same period, we lost innocent citizens to insurgency in parts of the North East, thousands were displaced, and many lives also lost due to clashes between farmers and herders, in addition to the general hardship unleashed by unstable economic winds.

    “These are some of the security challenges we have faced. We must take them head-on; it is a battle we must win as a country. It must be admitted that we are not there presently. For one, these security challenges now pose a threat to the viability of the agricultural sector.

    “This is clear in the marked reduction in agricultural output observable since the first quarter of 2018. There is the need for more efforts by all. We here are prepared to give all necessary support to the Executive. We stand ready and committed to assist in every way we can, in order to ensure food security and the protection of lives and property”.

    He bemoaned the under-performance of independent revenues, saying it is straining government’s ability to meet its expenditure, especially investments in critical infrastructure.

    This, he said, further exposes government to higher deficit levels which have been largely financed by borrowing, stressing that there was urgent need to address the lapses.

    “To be clear, two scenarios will play out if we do not deal decisively with challenges to revenue. These would be to accommodate higher debt with higher repayment costs, which is not sustainable or to reduce the capital budget, which would mean a slow-down in government investment in critical infrastructure. This, again, does not aid growth or economy development.

    “Mr. President, it is for these reasons that the National Assembly required that the 2018 Budget proposal and future ones be accompanied by a Finance Bill, which would give credence to the financial proposals of government.

    “It is one way of establishing credibility in projected revenues. It is imperative, therefore, that a 2019 Finance Bill is submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.

    “I have always stressed the importance of setting realistic revenue targets, because we cannot afford to rely on borrowing to finance recurrent expenditure. It is critical we shift focus to generating as much money as required for spending, at least for recurrent needs, so loans can be used solely to fund capital projects.”

  • Sokoto agog as Atiku flags off Northwest campaign

    The People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) on Monday flagged off the Northwest Zonal campaign of its Presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

    Kangiwa square, venue of the flag off has been a beehive of activities since the early hours of Monday.

    Read Also:2019 poll: Atiku meets Wike ahead of campaign kick off

    Already, the party’s chieftains , supporters and well-wishers from across the zone comprising of Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Zamfara have converged on the multipurpose venue.

    However, the Presidential candidate and his running mate, Peter Obi, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, governorship candidates, National chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, Senate President Bukola Saraki, serving and former PDP governors arrived the venue  at about 2pm.

  • Supreme Court must declare Saraki, others’ seats vacant, says Arise

    The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has been urged to approach the Supreme Court on the need to declare the seats of Senate President Bukola Saraki and other defecting senators vacant.

    Former Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Ayo Arise, said the executive arm of government is empowered by law to invoke Section 68 (1) g of the 1999 Constitution to declare the seats of the defecting senators vacant.

    Read Also:Saraki: I’m not bothered by impeachment threat

    Speaking on a Channels Television current affairs programme, POLITICS TODAY, monitored in Ado-Ekiti, Arise said the defection of Saraki and his followers in the Senate, without a valid reason as prescribed by the Constitution are no longer members of the National Assembly.

    Arise, who was in the Senate between 2007 and 2011, and seeking a return to the upper chamber said approaching the Supreme Court would save the country from what he called “the ongoing defection mentality which has now become a recurring practice in Nigerian politics, especially in the build up to every election.”

    According to him, the issue at stake is far beyond individual or a group of people but rather a constitutional matter in order to move the country forward.

    The former lawmaker stressed that Nigeria will forever remain underdeveloped politically, if will fail to do what is right by adhering to the tenets and dictates of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Arise said: “Law is not a respecter of anybody and it must not be held contrary in Nigeria hence the need for the law to take its course in the latest development and set the record straight once and for all. This will go a long way at bringing sanity and sanctity into the nation’s democracy”.

    “The Supreme Court in the case between Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde and Ondo State House of Assembly and others, had unambiguously settled the issue of defections, when it defined the difference between factionalisation and fractionalisation of a political party and explained the reasons that can warrant the defection of any elected member of the National or State Assembly without suffering the consequences as stated in section 68 (1) g of our Constitution.

    “It stated that, factionalisation of a party could not have warranted any lawmaker to change his or her party but held that, factionalisation through which a Legislator can defect must be in conformity with the section 68(2) of the constitution which states that, there must be a division in the party.

    “What “factionalisation or division” means here is that, there must be a parallel executive from the national to the ward level within the affected political party before the constitutional requirements that permits defection without forfeiture of one’s seat could be met.

    “And as at today, there is no such ground in the APC to allow Saraki and others to change from the party through which they became legislators without losing their seats in the National Assembly. They could participate in a new election to fill their seats in their new parties.

    “On the possibility of having the INEC budget for the 2019 general elections passed into law because of the current face-off between the National Assembly and the Executive, Sen. Arise noted that, the constitution allows the President to spend up to 50% of previous budget proposal in the event of a delay in passing a current budget by the Lawmakers.

    “Therefore, the question of whether or not the passage of INEC budget could be an obstacle towards the conduct of 2019 general elections may not arise because the President can source for funds through some special intervention funds pending the settlement of the political imbroglio.

    “The most practical and legal solution is to follow the dictates of our Constitution and declare the seats vacant by seeking the opinion of the Supreme Court again if anyone is doubt that any judgment of the Supreme Court is the law of the land.

    “The Constitution also empowers the Executive arm of the government to enforce our laws.”

  • Saraki should resign as a matter of honour, says Sagay

    …EFCC’s seizure of Benue’s account was extreme

     

    Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Chairman, Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) Thursday said Senate President Bukola Saraki should step down as a matter of honour even if he is not bound by law to do so.

    According to him, it would only require two-thirds majority of available Senators to unseat Saraki.

    Sagay, however, emphasised that the Senate President’s defection from All Progressives Congress (APC), the platform on which he was elected, to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), does not invalidate his position.

    Read Also:Saraki, others goofed by defecting to PDP, says APC lawmaker

    He spoke in Abuja on the sidelines of a workshop on the United Kingdom Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO), organised by PACAC, UK National Crime Agency and the Department for International Development (DfID).

    On whether Saraki was bound to resign, Sagay said: “He should relinquish his position as a matter of honour. He’s not compelled by law to do so. He needs to be removed by two-thirds majority.

    “He got there because he was in APC even though he got there by subterfuge, which is typical of him. He got there in a cheeky, fraudulent manner.

    “Nevertheless, for him to be removed, they need two-thirds, not of the Senate, but of those present and voting at a meeting.

    “It doesn’t have to be everybody. It’s those who happen to be there. Once they meet the quorum of one-third, and he is there, he can be removed by two-thirds of that one-third.”

    Sagay faulted the freezing of Benue State’s account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing it as “extreme”.

    He said while EFCC could investigate governors, they cannot be prosecuted since they have immunity.

    “There’s nothing EFCC can do to him (Governor Samuel Ortom). They can’t arrest him. They can investigate him, put down the records of what they found, and wait for his tenure to end. Right now nobody can touch him.

    “As for freezing Benue State’s account, I can’t support it. I don’t know why, but government has to function. I don’t want people to suffer because there are no funds for basic government functions.

    “I don’t know if EFCC really did that; we have to be careful because it looks extreme to me,” Sagay said.

    The eminent professor of law rejected calls for President Muhammadu Buhari to sack finance minister Mrs Kemi Adeosun over the allegation that she skipped the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme and forged an exemption certificate.

    Asked what he thought about the government’s refusal to react to the issue, Sagay said: “I don’t know why the government has not reacted.

    “But, let me tell you my reaction. This woman is a brilliant and extremely valuable member of this government.

    “A lot of the good things happening now – the welfare that Nigerians are enjoying and are going to enjoy, because it takes time, and the way our economy is booming, how we got out of recession – are due to her expertise, her commitment, her sacrifice.

    “There is nothing in this world that will make me remove such a woman from the government. The PDP can weep from now until there is no tear in their body; she is going to be there. We cannot afford to lose that woman.”

    Asked if it was not an offence to skip NYSC, Sagay said: “Who cares about youth service? I don’t bloody care whether she did youth service or not. It’s irrelevant as far as I am concerned.”

    On the allegation that she forged an exemption certificate, the PACAC chairman said: “I don’t believe it. I don’t see anything serious about not doing youth service. I don’t see anything serious about it. That’s my own bias, not government’s.

    “I’m telling you now. If you ask me – If I were President Buhari, I would never, ever touch that woman because she’s damn good.

    “The enemies of this government want to reduce his capacity to provide good governance by engaging in social media attacks and trying to get rid of her. It will not work.”

  • Saraki, others goofed by defecting to PDP, says APC lawmaker

    The only All Progressives Congress (APC) legislator in the Kwara state House of Assembly Prince Saheed Popoola Wednesday said the defection of Senate President Bukola Saraki, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and others to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is the greatest political mistake of their lives.

    He said this in Offa, Offa local government area of Kwara state when he staged a triumphant entry into the town.

    Read Also:Akpabio’s defection, beginning of the end of PDP, says APC chieftain

    Scores of his loyalists, supporters and friends waited patiently for hours at the Ijagbo end of the town, for him.

    Speaking with reporters in the midst of the crowd, Prince Popoola said: “I want you to show the whole world that it is the Offa people that told me not to defect to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). That is what you are seeing today. They told me that we are in All Progressives Congress (APC). They voted for in APC and that I should remain in APC. There is no single person that will do PDP in Offa.

    The entire town is APC. They are for President Muhammadu Buhari, they are for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, they are for Lai Mohammed, they are for Aregbesola and they are for Saheed Popoola. We are also for Adams Oshiohmole.”.

    He hailed President Buhari’s administration performance so far in office, adding that “he has been performing well since his assumption of office. It is only that some fifth columnists are out to sabotage his efforts. I want to assure you that APC will do well for this country. We mean well for this country. You can see that the entire Offa people are for APC.

    “I have come today to showcase that as their representative it is what they told me that i have done. I promise Offa people best legislative action. Offa people are going to lead in the struggle to make APC emerge victorious in the 2019 elections.

    “I want to tell you that Kwarans have resolved to change the current political structure in the state. This state will not vote for PDP in the 2019 general elections. It is a mistake of their lives that they have done. APC is the only party that Kwarans will vote for.”

    On the siege of the National Assembly by DSS operatives, the lawmaker said that “what happened at the National Assembly was a conspiracy.

    How can somebody call for a meeting of the principal officers and members were trooping in very early in the morning? I am calling for a full blown probe into the matter.”

  • Arise: Saraki, Kwankwaso, others must vacate seats

    Former National Assembly member, Senator Ayo Arise, has called on the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to initiate moves to ensure that Senate President Bukola Saraki and other lawmakers who ditched the party lose their seats.

    Arise in a chat with reporters in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday insisted that Saraki should not only lose the senate presidency, he should also forfeit the Kwara Central senatorial district seat he occupies.

    Read Also:APC to Saraki: resign now

    The former lawmaker urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to get set in conducting elections to replace those that has left the party, noting that none of them including the Senate President have the right to continue with the seat.

    He suggested that the APC should approach the Supreme Court and seeks the removal of Saraki, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and other Senators and House of Representatives members who defected from their seats.

    Arise contended that there was no division or factions in the APC to warrant their mass defection to other parties insisting that the defecting lawmakers must be made to lose all privileges attached to their positions.

    Describing their action as “immoral,” Arise said it was wrong for political office holders to take the mandate received on the platform of one party to another party hence constitutional and judicial efforts must be made to halt the trend.

    Arise; who represented Ekiti North in the Sixth Senate said frequent defections from one party to breed instability in the polity and shortchange the electorate who voted the lawmakers into office.

    His words: “Saraki should not only drop the Senate Presidency but he should lose its seat. He not have any right to continue with that seat and I want to urge INEC to conduct new election for those that has left.

    “My position on this is that we can’t continue in this manner as a nation because what is wrong is wrong.

    “I am of the opinion that when you are voted in on a particular platform and you move away from that platform, the individual should lose the privileges because the party is supreme to individuals. These People that has moved should be ready to drop their seats and go for a
    new election.

    “As for me, there is no excuse, drama or smart moves that will justify anyone who was voted in from a particular party to move and still enjoys all the privileges of that party without the consent of people that voted for you.

    “When I was in the Senate, my position was that anyone that moves, you forfeit the privileges. We must put an end to this immoral movements and unjustifiable one.

    “At a point, the National Assembly said you can move when there is a division, but now where is the division? Those people making noise (rAPC) have no convention or party executives or so ever. There is no division or factions in the APC.

    “I want to say the party should move against them and go to the Supreme Court to remove these people.”

    Arise urged the INEC to get set in conducting elections to replace those that has left the party, noting that none of them including the Senate President have the right to continue with the seat.

  • Senate moves to unbundle Police

    …Bill scale first reading

     

    The Senate Thursday took steps to unbundle the Police as a Bill aimed at amending Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended), which deals with the Force establishment, scaled first reading.

    The Bill was listed against the name of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is also chairman, Senate ad-hoc committee on review of the constitution.

    The proposed constitutional amendment is entitled: “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2018 (SB.694) First Reading.

    After the adoption of the first reading of the Bill, Ekweremadu explained: “The Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution has fulfilled its mandate. Now the Bill has been taken for the first time. I am sure that as soon as possible, we will take the Second Reading and probably send it to public hearing through the committee so that we fast-track it as directed by the Senate.”

    The plan to amend the Section 214 of the Constitution to accommodate the creation of State Police and Community policing was proposed last week by Ekweremadu.

    The amendment is essentially aimed at creating state and community police to complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police.

    It is generally believed that the Police as presently constituted have proven to be ineffective, especially in the face of daunting security challenges in parts of the country.

    Senator Solomon Adeola (Lagos State) formally moved the motion last week, when the Senate considered a motion on recent killings in Plateau and other states.

    The Constitution Review Committee was mandated to submit a copy of the bill within two weeks.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki promised that the bill will be given speedy consideration to enable President Muhammadu Buhari assent it before the expiration of the administration.

    Findings showed that the Bill seeks to establish The Federal Police and State Police, while also creating the National Police Service Commission, National Police Council and State Police Service Commission for the states.

    The Federal Police, according to the Bill, shall “be responsible for the maintenance of public security, preservation of public order and security of persons and property throughout the federation”, and “provide state policing for any state that is unable to operate a State Police until such a time that a State Police is established by the House of Assembly of that state”.

    The Bill proposes the appointment of the Commissioner of Police of a state by the governor on the advice of the National Police Service Commission and subject to confirmation of the House of Assembly, while the term of office of the Commissioner of Police shall be for a period of five years only or until he attains a retirement age prescribed by law, whichever is earlier.

    “The governor or such other Commissioner of the Government of the State as he may authorise in that behalf may give to the Commissioner of Police such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order as he may consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or cause them to be complied with.

    “Provided that where the Commissioner of Police feels that any order given under this subsection is unlawful or contradicts general policing standards or practice, he may request that the matter be referred to the State Police Service Commission for review and the decision of the State Police Service Commission shall be final, the Bill proposes.

    Also, whereas a Commissioner of Police of a state may be removed on the grounds of misconduct, serious breach of policing standards, conviction by a court of law or tribunal, indictment by a judicial body or tribunal for corruption, participation in political activities, among others, such removal must be approved by two-thirds majority of the State House of Assembly.

    It goes on to propose that an “Act of the National Assembly may prescribe a bi-annual certification review of the activities of State Police by the National Police Service Commission to ensure they meet up with approved national standards and guidelines of policing and their operations do not undermine national integrity, promote ethnic, tribal or sectional agenda or marginalise any segment of the society within the state”.

    Also, the National Police Service Commission shall comprise representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, Public Complaints Commission, Labour, Nigeria Bar Association, Nigeria Union of Journalists, and the Attorney-General of each state, in addition to six retired police officers not below the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police as well as Chairman to be confirmed by the Senate.

    In the same vein, the State Police Service Commission shall comprise a representative of the Federal Government appointed by the National Police Service Commission, two members to be appointed by the National Human Rights Commission who must be indigenes of the respective states, a representative of the Public Complaints Commission, one representative of the Labour appointed by the Chairman of the state chapter, a representative of the NBA, and a representative of the NUJ. Others are three retired police officers to be appointed by the Governor from each senatorial district and the Commission Chairman whom must all be confirmed by the State House of Assembly.

    The Bill further provides that the State Police Service Commission shall be responsible for, among others, recommending the appointment of a Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police, and Assistant Commissioner of Police to the National Police Service Commission in addition to appointment, discipline, and removal of members of the state police below the rank of the Assistant Commissioner of Police.

    The National Police Service Commission, on the other hand, shall be responsible for the appointment of persons to offices (other than the office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Federal Police Service; and exercising disciplinary control over members of the Federal Police; recommending to the Governor of a State the appointment of the Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police of State Police.

    It will also be responsible for recommending to the governor the discipline and removal of the Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Assistant Commissioner of Police of State Police as well as supervising the activities of Federal and State Police and prescribing standards for all police forces in the country in training, criminal intelligence data bases, forensic laboratories and render assistance to the State Police in areas as may be requested by such State Police.

  • Take us to another party, Kwara APC senatorial chairmen urge Saraki

    Ahead of 2019 general elections, the three senatorial chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state Wednesday urged Senate President Bukola Saraki to take them to another party where the aspirations and yearnings of Kwarans would be met.

    The three APC senatorial chairs include Alhaji Jimoh Balogun (Kwara South), Alhaji Jimoh Adesina (Kwara Central) and Alhaji Isiaka Oniwa (Kwara North).

    The trio hinged their call on the fact that APC the labored tirelessly for in 2015 had failed to meet their yearnings.

    Read Also:Our loyalty to Buhari paying off – Kwara APC

    Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, spokesperson of the chairmen Alhaji Balogun said the appeal is a warning signal to APC hierarchy to make amend and right some perceived wrongs in the party.

    The meeting was attended by the trio He added that they were determined to quit APC if the wrongs are not corrected “even if Senate President Bukola Saraki insists on not defecting from APC.”

    Said he: “Now that another election is on the way, Kwara has considered it fit to implore Saraki to take us to a formidable party that would address the plights of the people if the ruling APC refuses to redeem its campaign promises.

    “The perpetual persecution, humiliation and wanton destruction of the personality of the Senate President has been on the increase daily.

    This has almost made him lose focus on his goof intentions for the country.

    “Dr Saraki had contributed immensely to the empowerment and well-being of the people of the state, yet he was recently accused of sponsoring a gang of robbers that robbed banks in Offa, Offa local government area of the state. This is a calculated attempt to drag his name in the mud.

    “The recent calculated attempt to disrupt the peace at the National Assembly is another eloquent testimony to destroy the person of the Senate President. This unwholesome treatment is unwarranted and uncalled for.”

  • Saraki leads Senate delegation to Russia

    SENATE President Bukola Saraki will today lead a Senate delegation on a three-day parliamentary visit to Russia.

    The visit is aimed at deepening legislative best practices and further strengthening the relationship between both countries.

    This is contained in a statement by the Office of the Senate President.

    During the visit, the Senate President is expected to address the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (Senate of Russia) and hold meetings with its Chairperson of the Federation Council, Ms. Valentina Matviyenko.

    Saraki and his delegation will also meet Chairman of the State Duma Mr. Vyacheslav Volodin and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Mr. Mikhail Bogdanov to exchange views on Nigerian-Russian cooperation.

    The senators will also hold side meetings with corresponding committees of the Federation Council of Russia.

    Senators on the delegation include Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio, Chief Whip of the Senate Olusola Adeyeye, Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs Monsurat Sunmonu, Chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force Duro Faseyi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Obinna Ogba and the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Ibrahim A. Danbaba.

    Also on the trip is the Chief of Staff to the President of the Senate, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Special Assistant on Partnerships & NGOs/CSOs to the Senate President Mr. Innocent Onah and his Special Assistant on Events Ms. Eniola Shitta.

    The delegation is expected back in the country on June 22.