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Tag: Senate president

  • Saraki seeks global action against terrorism, illegal migration

    Saraki seeks global action against terrorism, illegal migration

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Wednesday asked for a concerted international effort to tackle terrorism, poverty and illegal migration.

    He described the menace of terrorism, poverty and illegal migration as a global challenge.

    Saraki spoke when a delegation of students of the Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom, led by Major General Lawrence Craig visited him at the National Assembly in Abuja.

    A statement by the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, quoted Saraki as saying that the rising incidence of terrorism, poverty and illegal migration across the world, constitute a threat to the peace, stability and wellbeing of humanity irrespective of their countries of residence.

    It said that Saraki spoke in response to the address of the leader of the delegation.

    The Senate President also called for international support to enable Nigeria overcome its present economic challenges, and noted that if Africa has to grow, then Nigeria has to grow as the most populous in the continent.

    Saraki said, “When we talk about terrorism, poverty and migration, these are issues of great importance to us,” he said, asking “how do we address them? How do we secure our people from the ravages of terrorism, illegal migration and biting poverty?”

    He noted that the manner terrorism, poverty and migration are tackled will go a long way in deterring the fate of  Africa even though it is the obvious destination where tremendous economic growth is expected to take place in the next 30 years.

    “Whether you talk about economic growth, security challenges, humanitarian issues, health and education, all these are in Africa. I think for every other part of the world, we have to come together to make Africa work. And for Africa to work, Nigeria must work as well,” he said.

    He added: “I still believe that a lot can be done in the fight against terrorism. I think more can be done to support what we have achieved.

    “Illegal migration is another challenge we have. This is closer to your doorsteps. Many are looking for greener pastures, and that is the reason why we need to work together more closely,” he said.

    Leader of the delegation, Major General Craig, said that they were in Nigeria as part of their study tour of West Africa, to learn at first hand the efforts being made by the various governments to ensure stability, security and prosperity in their countries.

     

  • Senate stops 38 agencies from expenditure of capital votes

    Senate stops 38 agencies from expenditure of capital votes

    …Gives Buhari two week ultimatum to submit budget

     

    The Senate Tuesday barred 38 corporations, agencies and parastatals from further expenditure of their capital budget 2017.

    The upper chamber also gave President Muhammadu Buhari two week ultimatum to submit the 2017 budget of corporations, agencies and parastatals of the Federal Government for consideration and approval of the National Assembly.

    It said that the submission of the budget proposals should be done within two weeks in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Constitution.

    It resolved that affected corporations, agencies and parastatals should stop forthwith further expenditure from their capital vote pending the submission of their 2017 budget to the National Assembly in line with Section 21 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

    The lawmakers further resolved that to urgently amend the Fiscal Responsibility Act to penalize infractions of non-submission of budget for appropriation.

    Only on Tuesday, the Senate said that 38 agencies are in breach of the Fiscal Responsibility Act for failure to submit their 2017 budget for approval by the National Assembly.

    The resolutions followed the unanimous adoption of a motion entitled: “Non-submission of 2017 budget by public corporations in violation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act” sponsored by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South).

    Na’Allah in his lead debate said that the Senate should be worried about the non-submission of the 2017 budget proposal by statutory corporations to the National Assembly.

    He noted that Section 21(1)(2) and (3) of the FRA stipulates that “The government Corporations and agencies and government owned companies listed in the Schedule to this Act (in this Act referred to as the Corporation) shall, not latter that six months from the commencement of this Act and for every three financial years thereafter and not later than the end of the second quarter of every year, cause to be prepared and submitted to the Minister their Schedule estimates of revenue and expenditure for the next three financial year.

    The Act also said that “Each of the bodies referred to in Section (1) of this Section shall submit to the Minister not later the end of August in each financial year: a, An annual budget derived from the estimates submitted in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section; and b, projected operating surplus which shall be prepared in line with acceptable accounting practices”…….

    Na’ Allah observed that non-compliance to the provisions of the FRA constitutes abuse of power and economic sabotage aimed at frustrating the current economic measures being taken by the present administration to address the economic recession.

    He noted that the absence of penalties in the provisions of FRA have emboldened and encouraged the perpetration of the Act.

    Na’Allah said that Senate should be concerned that the FRA is failing in its responsibility through complacence in the execution of its mandate.

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who seconded the motion noted that the Constitution is supreme while its provisions shall be a binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the country.

    Ekweremadu said, “This constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have a binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It goes further in section 80(2) to say that “No money shall be withdrawn from the consolidated revenue fund of the federation except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly.”

    “We are here talking about responsibility of governance. There cannot be any hard responsibility than Fiscal Responsibility because that is the beginning of all evils, we must begin to ensure that we live by the laws we make for ourselves. If we say that ministers are supposed to send the estimates of various agencies under them with the appropriation act of each year that has to be done.

    “I recall Mr. President in 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari sends to this National Assembly the appropriation bill for that year together with those estimates. While in 2017, the ministers find it impossible to accompany the same appropriation act 2017 with those estimates of the agencies under them.

    “We cannot be going forth and back. I believe that this is time for us to insist under section 88 that gives us power of oversight that this has to be done. We make laws here for the good governance of this country and that is actually what we have to insist. I believe that time has come when we are going to insist that all agencies should stop the expenditure of public funds unless it is appropriated in accordance with section 80 of the constitution which we have sworn to uphold.

    “It is our responsibility today to ensure that ultimatum is given to agencies under this government to bring this estimates for us to duly appropriate that is why the constitution provided for a full time legislature because there are enormous work to be done.”

    Senator George Thompson Sekibo (River East) asked “if a man who is to give the law fails the law but happens to him because if a man puts a law and another man fails.”

    He described the non-submission of the budget estimates of the agencies as a gross misconduct that should not be glozed over “because they are spending public funds.

    Senator Solomon Adeola said that the non-submission of the estimates is deliberate.

    He suggested that committees should meet with affected agencies.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, thank Na’Allah “for this important motion.”

    Saraki said that the motion is at the heart of the fight against corruption in the country.

    He said,”Truly this motion is at the heart of this fight against corruption and it is very important as we have seen that independent revenue, the amount of money from independent revenue even exceeds how much we get on oil revenue.

    “So, it is a huge amount to our revenue line even when we are talking about looking for money to fund projects, hospitals, education. This is where the source of the revenue are and I cannot see how we can continue in a society where we are fighting corruption where people will be spending money without approval, without appropriations, it must stop, it will stop and it is going to stop from now.

    “Clearly we have made our position that based on this amendment this agencies they must get their budget to us in two weeks and committee chairmen I want to appeal that once we get the budget on our own part as well let’s ensure that we do it publicly, very diligently and try and turn it around as quickly as possible.”

    Saraki also said that agencies that did not pass through the right channel to submit their budget to the National Assembly should do the right thing.

    Affected agencies included Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC,) Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASEI), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

    Others are the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Maritime Authority (NMA), Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Nigerian Postal Service (NPS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    The list also includes the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), National Communications Commission (NCC), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

    Others are National Insurance Commission (NIC), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC), Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Radio Nigeria, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Federal Mortgage Bank, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), as well as Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGZFA).

     

  • Buhari’s $5.815bn Chinese loan faces hurdles in Senate

    …Summons Amaechi for explanation

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for the National Assembly’s endorsement of $5,815 billion loan suffered setback Tuesday in the Senate.

    The Federal Government planned to raise the loan from China Exim Bank to execute the modernization of Lagos-Kano, Kano-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Lagos-Calabar rail lines.

    Following a motion by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), the Senate resolved to invite Minister of Transportation to explain why South East corridor rail line was omitted in the areas covered by the proposed loan.

    The upper chamber however rejected a prayer that urged the Senate to suspend consideration of the loan request pending until correction of the apparent oversight of the eastern parts of the country is made.

    The motion entitled “Outright Omission of Eastern Corridor Rail Line in the request for approval of Federal Government 2016-2015 External Borrowing (Rolling Plan)” was hotly debated on the floor of the Senate.

    Abaribe in his lead debate recalled that on 26th of April, 2017 the Federal Government laid before the National Assembly a request seeking an approval for a loan of $5,851 billion from China Exim Bank to execute the modernization of Lagos-Kano, Kano-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Lagos-Calabar rail segment;

    He observed with dismay, that the above sections of the rail line that the loan was being sought for covers only a section of the country, the western corridor or sections;

    The Abia South lawmaker noted that the Eastern section of the rail segment, which has a link between the South Eastern to North Eastern parts of the rail line is completely excluded from the request;

    He further noted that the loan being a Federal Government borrowing would be paid for by all SECTIONS of the country; therefore every section of the country should be taken into consideration;

    He said that he is aware that there is a Railway Master Plan developed by the Ministry of Transport and of which such plan has not being referred to in the current borrowing plan;

    Abaribe also said that he is aware that for the railway projects to have a meaningful impact on the development of the country; it should cover all parts of Nigeria.

    He expressed concern that the complete exclusion of the Eastern section that links the four zones of South-South, South-East, North-Central and North East and the key cities such as Port Harcourt, Aba, Enugu, Makurdi, Lafia, Gudi, Jos, Bauchi and Maiduguri is inexplicable,

    He prayed that Senate to suspend consideration of the loan request of any guise until the correction of this apparent oversight of the eastern parts of the country.

    He also urged that Senate to invite the Minister of Transport to appear and explain the reasons for the exclusion of the Eastern Corridor of Nigeria’s Rail Lines from the proposed loan from China Exim bank.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who seconded the motion said that the Senate should see injustice done to any section of the country as injustice to all.

    Ekweremadu said that it is on record that the Federal Government had been rehabilitating rail lines in the country with the exception of the rail lines in the South East.

    He noted that the promise of the government that the rail line in the South East would be accommodated in future is doubtful.

    Ekweremadu said that no section of the country should be excluded in development projects.

    But Senator Gbenga Ashafa, (Lagos East) described the information in the motion as “inadequate and inaccurate.”

    Ashafa who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, said that the Lagos-Kano and Lagos-Calabar rail lines covered the areas listed in the motion.

    He said that Onitsha and Aba areas are also covered in the plan of the rail line.

    He urged the Senate to look at the issue dispassionately insisting that the loan should be secured for the development of the country.

    Ashafa added that government is a continuum.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki said that leadership of the National Assembly took up the issue with President Buhari.

    Saraki said that the meeting of the National Assembly leadership with the executive informed the second letter of the President on the issue.

    He said that the second letter of President Buhari specified that every section of the country would be covered by the loan.

    Saraki said that if the report of the Senate committee on Local and Foreign Debts failed to cover the South East, the Senate would resolve how to deal with the loan.

     

  • 2017 budget: Senate gives to NNPC, CBN, 36 others marching order

    2017 budget: Senate gives to NNPC, CBN, 36 others marching order

    The Senate Tuesday gave marching orders to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service and 35 other Federal Government agencies to submit their 2017 budget proposals for approval or risk sanction.

    The upper chamber said that it was unbecoming that five months into the year, 38 statutory agencies of the Federal Government have failed to submit their budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year.

    It said that the agencies continued to make huge extra budgetary expenditure against the law establishing them.

    Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South) drew the attention of the Senate   to what he described as the abnormality of the agencies to submit their budgets for the approval of the National Assembly.

    Na’Allah noted it is wrong for agencies to spend money that has not been appropriated by the legislature.

    Na’Allah told the Senate that he intends to bring the issue to the floor as a motion so that Senators will understand the implications and the need to assist the government to fight corruption.

    He said, “I deliberately decided that I will bring it on the floor, so that Senators will understand the implications.

    “In our commitment to assist this government to fight corruption, we must stand on our feet that every spirit of our law must be obeyed by those holding public offices. I think that if you permit me I will like to come tomorrow by way of motion, so it can be debated on the Floor of the Senate.”

    “The only approach this Senate can take to assist this government in fighting corruption, is to insist that gross abuse of power and misuse of power must be stopped by every government agency. The only way we can build our institutions is to radically address the issue of abuse of power and misuse of power. I think that if you give me permission, I will like to bring it tomorrow as a motion.”

    Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who agreed with the submission of Na’Allah expressed displeasure over the failure by most government agencies to submit their 2017 budget proposals to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.

    Saraki condemned the practice where agencies of government spend money without statutory approval by the National Assembly.

    He ruled that the Senate would comprehensively debate the issue and take a resolution today.

    Saraki said: “We are already in May.  How can parastatals be operating without any budget, especially in this time of the fight against corruption and ensuring that there is transparency in governance? We need to take this matter seriously because clearly these agencies are just flouting the guidelines and breaking the law.

    “This is a very serious issue because as we all know, in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, these budgets are meant to have been submitted to the National Assembly since August 2016.

    “They are supposed to have come with the Appropriation document. We have now passed the 2017 budget without the budgets of the parastatals. I think this matter really needs to come up as a motion because this is a very serious matter. We need to debate it.

    “Leader, this is a very important issue and we must debate it tomorrow and if there is any Committee in exception or that have received from agencies they oversight, then they will have the opportunity to at least clear the parastatals and Agencies, that have sent their budgets.

    “But if as at middle of May, we are saying we have not received any budget from them, then which money are they spending and with what authority? We need to look into that and take a decision that may be they can only pay salaries until they bring their budgets here and approvals given.

    “I think once and for all, we need to address this issue and put an end to this disregard for laws and areas of corrupt practices,” the Senate President said.

    Agencies that are supposed to submit their budget proposals for approval by the National Assembly included NNPC, CBN, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASEI), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

    Others are the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Maritime Authority (NMA), Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Nigerian Postal Service (NPS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    The list also includes the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), National Communications Commission (NCC), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

    Others are National Insurance Commission (NIC), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC), Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Radio Nigeria, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Federal Mortgage Bank, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), as well as Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGZFA)

     

  • Saraki asks ECOWAS leaders to resist trade policy manipulation 

    Saraki asks ECOWAS leaders to resist trade policy manipulation 

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Wednesday asked Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders to resist ongoing manipulation of its trade polices by other countries to the detriment of the sub-region.

    Saraki gave the advice in his speech at the opening session of the 2017 First Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja.

    He also urged the ECOWAS Parliament to rise up to its billing by using its powers to ensure greater democratization and inclusiveness in the region.

    Saraki in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, said that the challenge of insecurity in the sub-region could only be surmounted if there was a collective approach by the Community in dealing with the menace.

    He said, “Nothing threatens our development today and our match towards a more sustainable democratic sub region like the issue of insecurity. The inability of the region to fashion out a clear path for collective sub regional intervention and collaboration scheme militates against and impacts negatively on our region’s ability to feed itself, attract investment and promote tourism. Mitigating this ugly trend must form a vital part of your deliberation in plenary.”

    While noting that trade remains the surest way to fight poverty in the region, he urged ECOWAS leaders to remain vigilant to ensure that its regional framework for liberal trade engagement is not misused or usurped to the detriment of the sub region’s internal industrialization and development policy direction.

    “What do I mean? A situation where the ECOWAS trade liberalization policy, is manipulated by other countries to channel goods into the sub-region in a predatory manner to kill local industries is not the intendment of the policy.

    “This is today going on in the area of our agricultural development and we must resist this and ensure that where there is leakage in the trade engagement that enable this practice, it is nipped in the buds.”

    According to the Senate President, another issue that requires the urgent attention of the ECOWAS Parliamentarians is illegal migration, saying, “We need to proactively work on remedying the image of the sub region in this regard and join hands with countries like Italy, Germany and Europe as a whole to find solutions to the migration challenge that we have. Continuous dialogue and engagement is important in this regards.”

    In the same vein, Saraki while receiving members of the Advocacy Mission of the Task Force on the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, led by the former President of Niger Republic, Djibou Salou, urged the committee to work assiduously to ensure that all human and systemic obstacles militating against free trade in the subregion are redressed.

    He pledged that the National Assembly will work closely with the task force to achieve the ratification of all pending trade protocols to facilitate the free movement of persons, goods and increased trade in the region.

    He urged them to ensure that the liberal trade policies that have been adopted by the governments of the ECOWAS sub region are not exploited by unscrupulous firms to subvert the objectives for which they were put in place.

     

  • FG has no funds to pay salary, promotion arrears, says Ngige

    FG has no funds to pay salary, promotion arrears, says Ngige

    The negotiation for new minimum wage may have been kept in the cooler until salary and promotion arrears owed civil servant are cleared, it was learnt Monday.

    This is coming as Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Director General, Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, met Monday with the leadership of the National Assembly to find ways to clear salary and promotion arrears of civil servant.

    Also on table for discussion at the closed door meeting chaired by Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, was the issue of payment of transfer allowances of workers and death benefits.

    Ngige told reporters that they were at the National Assembly on the invitation of ledership of the National Assembly.

    He added that though some progress were made at the meeting, all sides were to go back and come back tomorrow with possible solution to the identified issues which is that “government does not have enough fund for now to tackle the issues.”

    Ngige said, “We are here on the invitation of the National Assembly, the joint committee on labour and employment and the meeting is chaired by the Senate President.

    “We are here to discuss issues relating to things that are meant for industrial disharmony in the public sector.

    “As you are aware the labour federations have said the governors have not been treating them well.

    “One of the cardinal issues of International Labour Organisation (ILO) is to give our workers decent jobs and we decided to discuss with them.

    Wabba on his own said, “We are here as usual to dialogue over a range of issues particularly the welfare and well-being of our members – the Nigerian workers. In particular, we have discussed issues bothering on arrears of allowances which have accumulated for some time and running into billions, which they have not paid.

    “Also, alongside is the issue of pension particularly the issue of bonds and the fact that some of the contributions by workers have not been remitted for time.

    “Those are some of the issues that we thought the National Assembly has led the process to bring all stakeholders on board and look at how these issues can be resolved in a win-win situation without allowing the industrial relation process to break up.

    “I think this is very healthy and commendable, and all of us are committed to a very peaceful process of resolving these issues.

    “As the minister said, we have adjourned to allow thorough reflection over some of those issues and to be able to come up with workable solutions that will address these issues.

    “Those are the totality of issues we are actually working on and it is a holistic process which you know that the processes require laws; they also require some budgetary provisions.

    “So, that is why we are here and the process is holistic, to look at how best those issues can be resolved amicably.”

    Asked why the issue of new minimum wage was not top on the agenda of the meeting, Wabba who was almost walking away said the process is holistic.

     

    On what labour is demanding, he said “Labour has spoken with one voice. We have made a formal demand which you are aware. It is N56, 000 there is no need repeating it.”

    Wabba categorized new laws and budgetary provision to clear the back log of the arrears.

    “It’s a tripartite negotiation. What we are doing here is tripartite plus because we have involved the National Assembly and when you do any such negotiations is plus.

    “We looked at the issues of salaries arrears, promotion arrears, death benefits, location expenses and transfer allowances, hotel allowance which overtime have accumulated and had ran into billions and this is what are owed to federal public servant and we started the meeting today to find a solution.

    “The labour leaders engage ourselves and we try to work out something that would help them and help us restore the confidence we have with them that is the employers and employees.

    “If we don’t have that confidence we may have break down of industrial harmony. So we made progress today and we have adjourned to reconvene tomorrow at 4pm, all sides are to go back and come back tomorrow with possible solution to the identified issues which is government doesn’t have enough fund for now to tackle the issues. So tomorrow we convey here and sort it”

     

  • Saraki’s trial at CCT: Prosecution closes case after calling five witnesses

    Saraki’s trial at CCT: Prosecution closes case after calling five witnesses

    The prosecution, in Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s trial for false asset declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), closed its case on Thursday after calling five witnesses.

    Lead prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) announced the closure of the prosecution’s case after its fifth witness, Bayo Dauda, a bank official concluded his testimony at yesterday’s proceedings.

    Led in evidence by Jacobs, Dauda told the tribunal that Saraki obtained loans from GTB three times between 2006 and 2010. He said Saraki got the first loan of N380m in October 2006, the second of N380m on January 30, 2007 and the third, of N375m on February 10, 2010.

    Jacobs, who said Dauda was subpoenaed, tendered a copy of subpoena served on him and Saraki’s bank opening package before the tribunal, which it admitted as evidence.

    The witness said he was Saraki’s account officer. He said Saraki, as Kwara State governor-elect, opened the account with the bank in April 2003.

    Dauda, who read from a bundle of bank documents earlier tendered by the prosecution as exhibits, said Saraki got the second loan of N380m for the purpose of buying property in London, the United Kingdom.

    He said Saraki used part of the loans to buy properties at 17A and B Mcdonald Street, Ikoyi and for purchase of property in London.

    “There were three loans offered to the defendant. The first one was N380m granted on October 11, 2006. The next one was N380m granted o January 30, 2007. The third one was N375m granted on February 10, 2010.

    “On October 16, 2006 there was a credit of N380m loan to the customer. It was utilised by issuance of various drafts to purchase properties. The drafts were in favour of the Implementation Committee of the Federal Government Landed Properties.

    “On February 5, 2007 there was a loan disbursement of N380m. Another draft of N180,675,000 was issued to Committee on Implementation Federal Government’s Landed Properties,” he said.

    Dauda, who read from a document marked Exhibit 48, which was a document showing the terms of repayment of the second loan of N380m, said, “the terms of repayment was five equal quarterly instalments of N76m plus interest accrued.

    “From the statement of account, the first quarter repayment was on May 2, 2007 and the amount was N81,309,589. As of July 29, 2007, he had paid (principal and interest) total sum of N81,309,589. N76m represented the quarterly principal repayment, while the remaining was the interest,” he said.

    The witness added that by June 29, 2007 the sum of N63,740,637.85 had accrued on Saraki’s account as “part of interest capitalised on the loan.”

    He said as of the time, there was still an outstanding part of the principal loan yet to be repaid by Saraki.

    When asked how Saraki repaid the loans, Daudu said, “The loans were repayment via cash lodgement, cheque deposits, transfers and different warrants from his shares were paid into the account.”

    When asked to produce Saraki’s transfer instructions and other documents relating to foreign transfers, the witness said: “We have not been able to find them. We checked everywhere, but we cannot find them. We even went to our archive in Akure, we could not find them.”

    While being cross-examined by Saraki’s lawyer, Dauda admitted that he originally understood the funds transferred abroad were for the purpose of purchasing property, but only realised from the documents shown to him in the witness box that the transfers were for “mortgage redemption”.

    He agreed that there was no legal limit to what a customer could deposit in his or her account, but that he only meant to say that some of the cash lodgements made by Sarak were above the threshold, which the bank was under obligation to report to relevant authority.

    The prosecution’s case aginst Saraki include breaches of asset declaration, to the effect that he, while being a public officer, operated bank accounts outside Nigeria, and failed to declare the foreign accounts to the Code of Conduct Bureau while being governor and a senator during the period.

    Saraki is also accused of failing to declare the sum loan which he allegedly obtained from GTB while still a state governor, and that he allegedly transferred the £1,516,194.53, which was then an equivalent of one of the loans, to his account with Fortis Bank, London, for the purchase of an “undisclosed property” in London.

    At the conclusion of Dauda’s testimony, Jacobs informed the tribunal that the prosecution was done with its case.

    Asked when the defence intends to open its case, a lawyer in the defence team, Paul Erokoro (SAN) said the defence will file a no-case submission. He said his team intends to first, file a formal application, requesting the tribunal’s record of proceedings before the filing of the no-case submission.

    CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, then directed the tribunal’s Registry to put the records of proceedings together within two weeks. He asked the defence to file its written address in support of the no-case submission within one week, while the prosecution is to respond within one week after being served.

    He adjourned to June 8 for the adoption of the no-case submission.

  • Assassination attempts: Saraki seeks special protection for Senators, others ‎

    Assassination attempts: Saraki seeks special protection for Senators, others ‎

    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.

     

  • CCT: Prosecution to call Saraki’s account officer as witness

    CCT: Prosecution to call Saraki’s account officer as witness

    …Tenders Senate President’s statement

     

    The prosecution in the trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki said Thursday that it planned to call the officer in charge of Saraki’s accounts with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc as its next witness.

    Saraki is being tried before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for alleged false assets declaration.

    Lead prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs ‎(SAN) disclosed this at the resumption of proceedings yesterday after the prosecution tendered a statement said to be made by Saraki.

    The statement was said to have been made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2013.

    The statement dated August 12, 2013, was tendered by the prosecution through its fourth witness, Alvan Gurummaal, a detective of the EFCC.

    He was subpoenaed to produce the statement before the tribunal as he was said to be a party to the investigation of the case.

    The content of the statement was not disclosed during proceedings.

    Saraki has consistently claimed that he was not allowed to respond to the discrepancies notice in his assets declaration forms before the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) referred him to the CCT for prosecution.

    After the witness tendered the statement, which was admitted by the tribunal, Jacobs said he could not continue because his nest witness was not available.

    Jacobs said the next witness,  who is Saraki’s account officer at the Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, informed him that he(the witness) would be absent from the day’s proceedings because he has a medical appointment to undergo surgery.

    He applied for an adjournment to a later date to enable him produce the 5th prosecution witness. He was silent of the proposed witness’ name.

    Tribunal’s Chairman, Danladi Umar, acceded to Jacobs’ request for adjournment in the absence of opposition from the defence team.

    He adjourn May 4 for continuation of trial.

  • Ministerial nominee: Kogi APC wants Ocheni replaced

    Ministerial nominee: Kogi APC wants Ocheni replaced

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Kogi State Chapter has petitioned the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and other party elders calling for the replacement of the state’s ministerial nominee, Steven Ocheni with that of Alhj. Usman Naibi Maiyaga.

    In a four-page-petition released Thursday and signed by the State Chairman of the party, Alhj. Haddy Ametuo and 40 other party chieftains appealed to the Senate President to right the wrong done to Maiyaga, alleging that his name was wrongful substituted and replaced with that of Steven Ocheni as replacement for Late James Ocholi.

    “With utmost respect Sir, we the undersigned Executive Members of All Progressives Congress (APC), Kogi State chapter hereby officially write you over the malicious and wrongful substitution and replacement of Alhaji Idris M. Usman with the name of Prof. Steven Ocheni as the ministerial nominee representing Kogi State,” a statement in Abuja on Tuesday said.

    The statement said the state party unanimously distanced itself from Prof. Ocheni, stating that it was the collective resolve of the state party after the death of Ocholi for Maiyaga to be nominated after wide range consultations.

    According to the statement, after nominating Maiyaga which was supposed to be followed by Senate screening was replaced by Ocheni who was not even a party member.

    “We made further inquiries to that effect, we noticed that a few politicians from the state that are of course leading voices for our country’s democracy are indeed behind the unprofessional replacement of the people’s choice and mandate” the party said.

    The party in the statement condemned the nomination of Ocheni which it described as imposition even when he is missing in Kogi political firmament.

    While maintaining that Ocheni is not an APC card carry member, the party jointly backed Maiyaga for the exalted position, describing him as a good party man and grassroots moblizer who had been with them from CPC to APC.

    “Having been a founder/convener of kogi chapter of ACN, CPC AND now APC, 2007 governorship flag-bearer for ACN, 2011 Gubernatorial flag-bearer for CPC and 2015 Gubernatorial contender for APC kogi State who was later substituted by late Abubakar Audu also in 2015 presidential primary/main election coordinator of Buhari support in kogi state.

    “We choose him base on his credentials being a grass root disposition and capacity to preserve kogi state party structure came to limelight during the last presidential election in Kogi where we secure resounding victory for his excellency, president Muhammadu Buhari.”