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Tag: Senate president

  • Senate Presidency: ‘we’re well consulted before endorsement of Lawan’

    The last may not have been heard of the endorsement of Senator Ahmed Lawan for Senate President by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The spokesperson for “Ahmed Lawan for Senate President Group of Senators, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, told reporters in Abuja on Wednesday that APC senators-elect were carried along in the adoption of Lawan for Senate President.

    This is contrary to the position of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume who claimed the announcement of the adoption of Lawan by the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, surprised APC Senators-elect, who attended a dinner meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Although Abdullahi did not mention Ndume, he was categorical that “it is not good for somebody to peddle lies.”

    He added that when Oshiomhole announced the adoption of Lawan as the party’s choice for the Senate President of the ninth Senate, the party chairman spoke in the presence of some governors including those of Oyo, Kebbi and Borno States.

    Read also: We won’t challenge Kano rerun elections, says CUPP

    Abdullahi, who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said Oshiomhole appealed to them to support Lawan to avoid the mistake of the past.

    “Immediately he said that, there was instantaneous and spontaneous applause by senators who were there.

    “For somebody to say there was surprise and shock following the announcement, he was economical with the truth. There was no shock, rather there was relief,” Abdullahi said.

    Abdullahi, who said the APC has learnt its lesson from the mistake of 2015 when Bukola Saraki emerged Senate President against the directive of the party, assured that there would be no such crisis this time around.

    He said that there was no clear directive by the party in 2015 leading senators to go their different ways in the chamber.

    The APC, he said, has a great role to play in who emerges the Senate President.

    According to him: “If the party has promised Nigerians good governance, it is only fair and proper for the party to play some role to deliver that good governance. For me, we have learnt our lessons from whatever happened in 2015.

    “Even when I’m walking on the street people say please you people should make sure you learn from your past mistake. As far as I’m concerned, we have unity of purpose.

    “We the Senators-elect, we have made a choice. We have the right to say this is who we want. Our choice is Ahmed Lawan.

    “Do you expect that Mr. President and the party should abdicate their responsibility? This is what they accused us of in 2015. Now they have spoken, why are you complaining.”

    He insisted the announcement by Oshiomhole should have been enough for a genuine party loyalist to abandon his ambition and toe the line of the party.

    Abdullahi said that there was no doubt that Nigerians would be the best for the emergence of Lawan.

    “It is not good for you to have bills that are not assented to,” he asked.

    He said that on the day of inauguration of the ninth Senate in June, by the grace of God, Ahmed Lawan will be Senate President.

  • Buhari, APC chiefs endorse Lawan for Senate President

    Ahmad Lawan is the favourite for Senate President  – courtesy of his “rich legislative experience” and character –  The Nation learnt yesterday.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership and most APC governors have endorsed the Senate Leader after consultations.

    The leaders were said to have considered  Lawan’s “qualifications, prudence, accountability, loyalty and rich legislative experience” which will assist the APC government to have a robust Executive-Legislative relationship to fast-track development.

    Lawan is believed to be a “leader with much focus on accountability”.

    It was also learnt that Buhari preferred Lawan because he repeatedly told senators-elect that he will “like to leave sustainable legacies; to be remembered for something”.

    Buhari, who was emotional at a stage in his speech during a dinner with old and would-be lawmakers on Monday, regretted the frosty relationship between his administration and the leadership of the 8th National Assembly.

    Senators Danjuma Goje and Adamu Abdullahi were calm, but Senator Ali Ndume protested against what he called Lawan’s imposition.

    The search for the President of the Ninth Senate started immediately after the February 23 elections when members of the “kitchen cabinet” sought the opinion of the President on the direction to go.

    It was gathered that the President wasted no time in picking Lawan.

    Besides, every time the governors met with Buhari, his refrain was always “I will be involved in the election of principal officers in the National Assembly this time around”.

    The source said the Kitchen Cabinet members, strategists, governors, national leaders of the party and APC leadership later endorsed Lawan.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The choice of Lawan for the office was not the making of the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The President had zeroed in on Lawan since 2015 and he did not mince words in asking the leaders of the party, APC governors and even senators-elect to ‘leave the Senate President for me’.”

    “He spent the past few weeks to consult with some leaders of APC, governors and senators-elect to feel their pulse on Lawan. Having realised his position, some APC governors asked senators-elect from their states to be part of Lawan’s campaign.

    “When Ndume met with one of the leaders of the party, he only said: ‘Whichever direction the President is going, I will follow him. You cannot expect me to work against the interest of the President.’

    Read also: Group to APC leadership: ensure fairness in zoning National Assembly’s positions

    “Security reports on Lawan’s lifestyle revealed a commitment to accountability. He does not indulge in wasteful spending. He fits into the austere focus of Buhari.”

    Security agencies, it was learnt, rated Lawan as a loyal politician, who has been consistent in the last 20 years as a progressive.

    “The dilemma of the President was how to break the news to senators-elect without making it to look like an imposition. Again, he was not too comfortable with the intrigues on the race for Senate presidency. This was why he felt he must address it before going on break,” the source said, adding:

    “Buhari only routed his choice through the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, to demonstrate deference to party and promote discipline in APC.”

    A source said: “The President actually respected us and named his preferences for President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    “Oshiomhole’s job was simple. He was only to convey the decision of the leader of the party to our members-elect in the National Assembly. We are trying to avoid what happened in 2015.”

     How the news was broken to senators-elect

    A senator-elect at the dinner in the Villa said: “Sitting beside the President, Oshiomhole spoke passionately and made it clear that all ranking senators-elect are eminently qualified to be the President of the Senate and other principal officers. He eulogised all ranking senators.

    “He had some difficulty in going straight to the point but he explained why it was necessary for the party to be united and have a solid leadership in the National Assembly.

    “After some rigmarole, the National Chairman said the National Working Committee had consulted with the governors elected on the platform of the party and APC leaders and reached a conclusion that Dr. Ahmad Lawan should migrate from being a Senate Leader to the President of the Senate. At the end of the day, we are presenting Lawan for consideration.

    “Oshiomhole assured that the party will ensure a win-win situation for all, especially those aspiring for Senate presidency.”

    Another Senator-elect said: “Only the President and Oshiomhole spoke at the session in the Villa; we were not allowed any input. Lawan is mandated to reconcile with everybody and allow ranking senators to choose the committees they like.”

    Asked how they knew that Buhari endorsed Lawan, a senator-elect from North-Central said: “The President was by his side and his body language suggested the choice of Lawan.

    “Not only that the President in his remarks plainly said: ‘I thank the National Chairman of our party for making a difficult job for me much easier. I hope this will go as expected.’ Nobody needed any other signal from the President.”

    The President was said to have also earned some mileage at the session with some emotional words.

    A Senator from the Northeast said: “The President emotionally told us:  ‘I want to be remembered for something; I want to leave something for Nigerians. I need your support.”

    “Immediately after the President spoke, we all rose to sing the National Anthem.”

    Although the announcement of Lawan by Oshiomhole received much applause, it was shocking to other contestants for Senate president, including Senators Danjuma Goje; Ali Ndume and Abdullahi Adamu.

    A Senator from the Northwest said: “While Goje and Adamu took it in good faith, Ndume immediately protested to the APC governors at the meeting that what Oshiomhole did was unconstitutional.

    “He made his feelings known and he was obviously bitter with the development. What pained  Goje and Adamu  was that they were not consulted. They said they would have loved to be consulted by the President and the party.”

    Lawan has been mandated by the party and most senators-elect to reach out to Goje, Adamu and Ndume.

    A ranking Senator said: “We are working on how to appease all. We said all our leaders should reach out to these respected Senators aspiring to be Senate President and give them some comfort. We believe it is not too late for the President and APC leadership to consult Goje, Adamu and Ndume.

    “For instance, we have some proposals to  make Abdullahi Adamu Senate Leader and retain Goje as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

    “It was also agreed that all ranking senators be allowed  to choose the committees they like.”

  • Group to APC leadership: ensure fairness in zoning National Assembly’s positions

    THE leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been urged to be guided by fairness and justice in the zoning of leadership positions in the Ninth National Assembly.

    Justice Advocacy Group said fairness on the path of the party’s leadership would ensure that each geopolitical zone is rewarded in accordance with its contribution to the just concluded general elections.

    The advocacy group also suggested that the consideration of all regions would eliminate a repeat of the situation that led to the relegation of party supremacy to the background by certain lawmakers that contributed largely to a frosty relationship between the executive and the Eighth National Assembly.

    In a statement yesterday by its coordinator,  Akintunde Lawal, the group noted that such nationalistic stance on fairness and equity in the distribution of resources of the people is strongly supported by the nation’s constitution as well as APC’s constitution.

    Read also: 9th NASS: Christian association tells APC, Buhari to balance appointments

    The statement reads: “Now that APC has won the elections, the critical issues should be how the APC will deliver to the electorates the dividends of democracy.

    “So, what the party leaders need to do is to allocate key offices to  respect geopolitical sensitivity and standing among geopolitical zones.

    “We should guide against the crisis that characterised the eighth assembly.

    “The incoming Nigerian  legislature  cannot afford any  unnecessary feisty political relationship with the executive and to forestall this, the APC leadership must do what is right.

    “There must be justice and fairness as enshrined in the constitution  of  the party and Nigerian constitution”

    “As it is now, the North West has the President while the South West has the Vice President and the National Leader of the APC leaving Four Zones  bare.

    “So, it is incumbent on the party to reflect political balancing in considering the leadership of the Ninth Assembly”.

    Saying that all the zones must be considered on the basis of equity as enshrined in the APC constitution, the group noted that such decision would also be in support of the nation’s constitution.

    “Nigerian Constitution 1999 Sections 14 (1c),3 and 4 and the APC Constitution as amended in Article 7 (i),(ii), (ix) and  (xii) made this clear and doing otherwise would be courting crisis in the coming Assembly.

    “Ceding the positions to the appropriate zones would not amount to sacrificing competence but strengthening the foundation of democracy in the country.

    “It is important that every geopolitical zone in the country has a sense of belonging, also recognises the number of votes and therefore, every zone must be recognised on the basis of their contributions to the party.

    “In the just concluded presidential election the Northwest APC comprising seven states produced 5,995,651 representing 72.45 per cent  of the votes cast; Northeast, comprising six states produced 3,238,783, votes representing 74.36 per cent; Northcentral, comprising six states produced 2,465,599 votes, representing 54.92 per cent; Southwest comprising six states produced 2,036,450 votes, representing 53.41 per cent; Southeast comprising five states produced 403, 968 votes, representing 19.26 per cent and Southsouth, comprising six states, produced 1,051,396 votes, representing 32.01 per cent.

    “If APC goes to the contest (i.e election of principal officers in the National Assembly) with a divided house, it will be detrimental  not only to the party but the Ninth Assembly.

    “It must be noted that a divided APC will be very vulnerable  and the  opposition parties can spring surprises during the elections yet again, suggesting  that the APC would not have allowed experience to be the best teacher.

    “President Buhari and the leadership of the party will do well to consider the implications of a repeat of the scenario of the last four years.

    “Nigerians are watching,” the group added.

     

  • Our members free to vie for National Assembly positions, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said its members can the contest for leadership positions in the Ninth National Assembly.

    A statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that despite their minority status, opposition lawmakers have constitutional right to seek election into any of the presiding positions in any of the chambers.

    It stated that the positions of President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker are not the exclusive preserves of any political party, but a constitutional right of every elected lawmaker in both chambers.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has 65 senators-elect, the PDP has 42 and the Young Progressive Party (YPP) has one. In the lower chamber, the APC has 223, against PDP’s 190 and 10 seats shared among a number of fringe parties.

    The PDP described as unfair the posturing of APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole as if the presiding offices and committee chairmanship positions in the National Assembly were exclusive rights of the APC.

    The statement reads: “President Buhari and Oshiomhole should wake up to the fact that the National Assembly belongs to no political party but to all Nigerians, who exercise their control through their elected representatives.

    “For emphasis, Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is clear in providing that  ‘There shall be:- (a) a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves; and (b) a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves’

    “Section 92 (1) makes the same provision for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of State House of Assembly.

    “The PDP, therefore, does not only have a constitutional say in the process of the emergence of the leadership of the Ninth National Assembly, but will, as a matter of constitutional right, field candidates into presiding offices of both chambers, if need be.”

    Also yesterday, members of the Senate Caucus of the PDP urged their APC counterparts to leave Senate President Bukola Saraki out of the schemes and plots to get his successor.

    REad also: Buhari: I look forward to effective relationship with Ninth National Assembly

    The PDP caucus said the APC senators should leave Saraki out of the jostle by senators-elect on the platform of the ruling party over who gets elected into the leadership of the Ninth Senate.

    In a statement by Senate Minority Leader, Mrs Biodun Olujimi and Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Dino Melaye, the PDP caucus stated that it has observed closely as the contenders for the various Senate leadership posts in the APC sponsor various publications in the media to make it appear that Saraki is seeking to play a role in who occupy the various leadership posts in the next Senate.

    The caucus warned: “Such surreptitious attempts to drag Saraki into the issue that does not concern him would not augur well for the smooth take-off of the next Senate and could only create suspicion and ill-will among the incumbent Senators and the incoming ones.”

  • Ndume to consult colleagues over Senate president

    The “endorsement” of Senator Ahmed Lawan and House of Representatives Leader Femi Gbajabiamila by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Senate President and House Speaker in the Ninth National Assembly may not have gone down well with every member.

    Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South), one of the senators eyeing Senate President, yesterday described the APC nod to Lawan as unconstitutional.

    He was reacting to reports that APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole announced the endorsement of Lawan and Gbajabiamila as the party’s candidates for the two exalted positions.

    According to him, he consulted widely and was given the go-ahead by party leaders to vie for the position.

    He insisted that the Constitution stipulates the procedure for the election of the Senate President.

    To him, the best thing for the party to do is to zone the slot of Senate President to a geo-political zone and allow the zone to make its choice.

    Ndume, who said he was not desperate for the position, plans to consult his colleagues on the way forward.

    Ndume said: “We were surprised on Monday when the national chairman of our party told us a decision had been taken to adopt Ahmad Lawan as candidate from the Northeast for the position of the President of the Senate.

    “The reason why I am shocked and I am sure that is the feeling of my colleagues, is that the constitutional provision for the emergence of the leadership of the Senate is clearly spelt out.

    “Section 51 (a) of the Constitution says that “there shall be a Senate President and Deputy Senate President who shall be elected by members of the House “.

    “Section 1 of the Constitution clearly states that ‘this Constitution is binding on all Nigerians and government agencies’.

    “It went further to say that any other law that contravenes the provision of the Constitution is null and void.

    “As a party that is supposed to be democratic and as a government that insists on allowing due process to prevail, this is strange. A candidate of APC normally emerges by one of three means, namely- consensus, indirect elections and direct primaries.”

    Ndume said he had tried his best and was “leaving this to God and those who elected me. I am going home to consult with elders who gathered themselves and asked me to contest. I will consult with them and then take a final decision.

    “The party has taken a decision.  I ultimately wait on the decision of Almighty God and my colleagues. That is what I will say for now.”

    Asked to explain what he meant by waiting for his colleagues to decide his fate, he said:  ”You should not be confused. The constitution is clear. It says the Senate shall elect its president and deputy.

    Read also: Buhari, APC chiefs endorse Lawan for Senate President

    “Like I said, my decision to contest for the position of the Senate President is not personal. Even my colleagues encouraged me to run. Not just the elected ones. They said I should vie for the position.  Even then, the party didn’t say it had elected Ahmad Lawan.  It only said it has nominated Lawan.”

    “I am not the one saying this. It is the decision of my colleagues.  I am one of those offering themselves to contest for the position.  I can’t even nominate myself.  Someone has to nominate and second me.

    “I can’t say that a candidate has been imposed on us. The decision is now left for my colleagues.”

    Ndume said: “I am not desperate.  I remain committed to the ideals and principles of President Muhammadu Buhari because he has been my mentor.  I don’t have a godfather, but I am a party loyalist.”

     

  • Kwara Poly didn’t fund Saraki’s campaigns, says govt

    THE Kwara State government has described rumours that the state-owned polytechnic in Ilorin funded Senate President Bukola Saraki’s previous political campaigns as false and illogical.

    The state government also absolved Saraki of any involvement in the planned appointment of a new rector for the polytechnic and the Kwara State University (KWASU) Vice Chancellor.

    Commissioner for Tertiary Education Utaz A. Alikinla dismissed the claims as outright falsehood, stressing that only Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has the authority to make such appointments.

    The commissioner said the recruitment of the new heads of the institutions would follow due process such as advertisement of vacancies three months to the expiration of tenure, followed by the selection process after which the governor will approve the appointment on the Governing Council’s recommendation.

    Alikinla said in line with this procedure, the process for the recruitment of a new rector for the polytechnic commenced on Monday, March 25, 2019 with the advertisement of the vacancy in The Herald and Punch Newspapers.

    Read also: Nigerians watching Kwara, say Buhari/Osinbajo groups

    According to him, the vacancy was advertised as the incumbent’s tenure expires June, this year.

    As governance abhors a vacuum, he said, the administration started the recruitment in line with due process even though its tenure is ending.

    He added that as the tenure of the current vice chancellor of KWASU ends next July, the recruitment of his replacement is yet to commence.

    Alikinla also denied claims that a former Chairman of Kwara Poly’s Governing Council contributed funds to the Senate President’s electioneering campaign in 2011, adding that there was no record of any such transaction in the state government’s or the institution’s records, neither is there any record an approval by any organ or official of the institution to that effect.

  • Borno stakeholders back Ndume for Senate President

    Stakeholders and elders from Borno State have thrown their weights behind their son, Senator Mohmmed Ali Ndume, to emerge as the next Senate President.

    Addressing a news conference in Abuja yesterday, the Borno elders on the platform of Concerned Borno Citizens expressed confidence in the ability of Ndume to provide quality leadership for the Senate and partner the executive to offer the citizens good governance.

    The group, which include former governors, former ministers and other APC leaders, argued that Ndume should be considered for the position, considering the fact Borno State gave the party over 90 per cent of votes in the just concluded election.

    Their spokesman and Ambassador Dauda Danladi said, however, that while angling for the position, they were not unaware of the fact that the party would eventually zone the position and the fact that other zones are also agitating for the position.

    He added that if the party eventually zoned the seat to another zone, they would have no option than to support such zone.

    Danladi insisted that Ndume is the most qualified person to occupy the position, considering his antecedent as a lawmaker and loyal party man.

    He said: “At this critical moment of our quest for credible leadership, we give glory to God Almighty for the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. We congratulate your excellencies. We also seize this opportunity to congratulate members-elect of the National Assembly as well as governors-elect and members of State Assemblies.

    “We pray to Almighty God to give your excellencies and parliamentarians at all levels the courage; wisdom and good health to justify the confidence reposed in you by Nigerians.

    “There is no doubt that the 9th National Assembly has a critical role to play if government is to actualise all its developmental projects, programmes and policies that will propel Nigeria into the industrialised world in the near future. Hence, a cooperative partnership driven by the National Assembly that will support, encourage and work with the executive to accelerate the achievement of socio-economic objectives of the government cannot be overemphasised.

    “It is in this regard that we the Concerned Citizens of Borno are coming forward to urge Senator Ndume to contest for the office of the Senate President in the 9th National Assembly. We are convinced that Senator Ndume possesses all the qualities and requirements to hold the office of the Senate President, being a loyal party man and a ranking senator.”

  • Saraki, PDP ploting to hijack Ninth National Assembly, Nabena alleges

    A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena has revealed plots by Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and the leadership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hijack the leadership of the 9th session of the National Assembly by influencing who emerges leaders of both chambers.

    Nabena said in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) must move fast to nip such moves in the bud by coming out with a zoning formular for the emergence of leaders of the legislature.

    Nebena who is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary said the Senate President is working in tandem with what he called “Otta farm”, warning that the APC must move quickly and urgently rollout the zoning arrangements to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2015.

    Both incumbent Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara emerged Senate President and Speaker against the party’s wish in the outgoing 8th National Assembly.

    Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Nabena said the outgoing Senate President and his party (PDP) have devised plans to ensure that there loyalists take control of the legislative arm of government.

    He said: “The outgoing Senate President and the PDP caucus have begun surreptitious move to lure some new APC lawmakers with juicy committee position in return for their support for the PDP choice for the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    “Already, Saraki’s henchman, Dino Melaye and some other returning PDP federal lawmakers have scheduled meetings with some APC lawmakers from Wednesday to Sunday in a yet-to-be announced venue.”

    He stressed that “It is important that the APC leadership meet and urgently rollout a fair zoning arrangement to ensure that we produce our preferred candidates for all leadership positions in the incoming National Assembly.

    “Since Saraki lost his bid to return to the Senate and control of his home state, Kwara, he has devised a plan to ensure that he influences the choice of the incoming National Assembly Leadership. This is Saraki’s last-ditch effort to remain politically relevant.

     

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the allegation as diversionary and baseless, saying however, that the governing party has every right to enjoy its delusion of persecution.

    In a chat with our correspondent in Abuja yesterday, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said the PDP has more pressing issues to engage it’s time.

    Ologbondiyan said, “Let Yekini Nabena and the All Progressives Progressives Congress (APC) be told in clear terms that the National Assembly is a political environment.

    “So if crying and whining over National Assembly leadership positions will help their cause, let them continue to indulge themselves.

    “Do they expect the PDP with about 42 members in the Senate, which may increase before June, to sit on the fence and be watching events?

    “For now, we are in court to retrieve our stolen presidential mandate and preparing for supplementary election in states where the INEC declared the March 9 governorship and state assembly elections inconclusive. That is our focus for now.

    “Let them wait till June for the election of leadership of the National Assembly and see how things play out. We believe that when we get to the bridge we will cross it”.

    The PDP however said in a statement yesterday that Nigerians will not vote in vain, assuring that the votes they freely gave to its candidates in the 2019 general elections will never be in vain.

    The statement, signed by Ologbondiyan, expressed optimism that the party will surely recover the presidential mandate given to its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and ensure that none of the states where it is in the lead ahead of the March 23 supplementary election will be hijacked by the APC.

    Ologbondiyan quoted the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, as stating the party’s position during a solidarity visit by the leadership of the party on Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on Tuesday, ahead of Saturday’s supplementary election.

    He further quoted Secondus as stating that Nigerians are extremely hurting over the “rigging” of the presidential and other elections by the APC, as well as alleged schemes to forcefully take over states already won by the PDP, leading to the supplementary elections.

    “Elections are about the will of the people. When you force yourself on the people; that is not democracy. Today, Nigerians are unhappy with the way elections were rigged without allowing the will of the people to prevail”, Secondus said.

    Tambuwal was reported to have assured that the PDP and the people of Sokoto state were upbeat and fully mobilized to ensure that their will is not subverted.

    “We are upbeat as Sokoto state has never been this mobilised. People are praying and fasting by themselves and they are ready once again to ensure that their will is not subverted.

    “What happened in the last elections was unimaginable as security agents took over the state. Ballot papers were found with APC members on the streets. The staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stormed the residences of our members, harassing and intimidating them.

    “Even on the day of election, they were going round the polling units and picking up our members. There were open rigging in about six of the local government areas.

    “They brought their federal might to bear but the will of the people prevailed against them and we won, yet they declared the election inconclusive.

    “So, in Sokoto, they have the will of the people to contend with and given the prayers that our people are offering everyday and their decision to checkmate the rigging of APC, victory is sure to be for us and the PDP”, Tambuwal was quoted to have said.

    The main opposition party urged all its members and supporters to remain steadfast and march out on March 23 to consolidate on the victory already won by the party in the states where supplementary elections have been scheduled.

     

  • Senate opens debate on Budget 2019

    The Senate will today open debate on the general principles of Budget 2019, Senate President Bukola Saraki assured yesterday.

    Saraki scheduled the date of the debate of the fiscal document shortly before the upper chamber adjourned plenary session in honour of a member of the House of Representatives, Temitope Olaoye “Sugar”, who was killed in Ibadan last Saturday by unknown persons.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on December 19, last year, presented a Budget of N8.6 trillion to the joint session of the National Assembly for consideration and passage as this year’s Appropriation Bill.

    Christened “Budget of Continuity”, the 2019 fiscal document is planned to continue the country’s drive for inclusive economic growth, diversification and sustainable development.

    Saraki urged his colleagues, who have contributions to make on the budget to list their names for proper coordination of the debate.

    He said that the debate will take two days, today and March 19 to enable many senators to contribute.

    The conclusion of the debate of the general principles of the 2019 Appropriation Bill will pave the way for its reference to the Appropriation Committee for further legislative action.

    Saraki also mandated the Ad-hoc Committee on the New Minimum Wage Bill to expedite action on its assignment.

    He directed Senator Francis Alimikhena to take over the chairmanship of the committee in the absence of its substantive chairman, Senator Olusola Adeyeye.

    The House of Representatives, which had earlier debated and approved N30, 000 as the new national minimum wage as proposed by the Federal Government, also adjourned sitting for its slain member.

    The Green Chamber adjourned plenary in less than 20 minutes after resumption from the general election break.

    Speaker Yakubu Dogara regretted that Nigeria was yet to move away from politically-motivated killings.

    The late Olatoye represented Lagelu/Akiyele Fededal Constituency. He chaired the Committee on Urban Development & Regional Planning before his death.

    Dogara also announced the death of a former member, Bethel Amadi, who also died during the break.

    Amadi was former President of the Pan African Parliament between 2012 and 2015.

    The Speaker, who sauntered into the chamber at about 11.35am exchanged greetings and banters with his colleagues by the aisle before assuming his seat.

    After the opening prayers, he announced his approval of the last votes and proceedings after which he broke the news of the death of the two lawmakers.

    He called for prayers for the repose of the souls of the departed which was said by the Chief Whip, Hassan Doguwa and Tobi Okechukwu.

    Speaking with reporters after the plenary, Dogara condemned killings across the country, adding that that Nigeria should not be experiencing killings during elections.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that we lost our colleague and many other Nigerian during the elections due electoral violence. This is so unfortunate for us as a nation and even for our democracy.

    “We need to move away from this kind of experience to a better place as a nation, it is not helping our democracy.”

  • Bukola expresses disappointment over low turnout

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has expressed disappointment over low turn-out of voters in the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state.

    The senate president, while casting his vote on Saturday at his Ajikobi ward, Opobiyi polling units 005, said the turn-out was not impressive compared to the presidential and national assembly elections on Feb. 23.

    Bukola, who arrived at his polling unit at exactly 11:08 a.m. in a blue caftan, with a cap to match, said the turn-out was low.

    He said he had been inundated with too many reports of military deployment in the state which could be the reason for the low turn-out.

    Commenting on card readers, the senate president said he had not received any reports of malfunctioning of the gadgets.

    He added that since the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had insisted on the use of card readers, there must have been an improvement. (NAN)