The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Senate

  • ‘Stop blackmailing Buhari with threats of impeachment’

    ‘Stop blackmailing Buhari with threats of impeachment’

    The United Progressive Party (UPP) Friday asked the Senate to blackmailing the Executive arm of government in order to obtain some form of soft landing for its principal officers over their current trial for alleged forgery of the Senate standing rules.

    In a statement signed by the National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie, the party said that the leaders of the Senate should subject themselves to the judicial process with regard to the on-going trial of some top Officers of the Senate on forgery accusation.

    The party describes as satanic, subversive and dangerous, the threats by the lawmakers to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari for unspecified impeachable offences, asking them to completely erasing such thoughts from their mind.

    He said: “Our attention has been drawn to some threats emanating from some persons in the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against President Muhammadu Buhari for unspecified impeachable offences.

    “We wish to state unequivocally that such thoughts at this point in time are satanic, subversive and dangerous. It should be erased completely from the minds of those contemplating such move.

    “Any such act of vengeance will be most unpopular, unpatriotic and condemnable. All hands must be on deck to salvage our country from its present state of economic downturn, excruciating poverty and security challenges.

    “In the spirit of separation of powers as clearly defined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended, it behoves the National Assembly and its leadership to submit themselves to the judicial process with regard to the on-going trial of some top Officers of the Senate on forgery accusation.

    “It must not be seen that the National Assembly is resorting to the blackmail of the Executive arm of government in order to achieve any form of soft-landing for its Officers who are already facing trial.”

    Okorie also condemned calls for immunity for principal officers of the National Assembly, pointing out that such ad fate, especially at a time when Nigerians are canvassing the removal of immunity clause from the constitution.

    He said: “We hold the view that it is absolutely in bad fate for some of our legislators to propose to seek to include in the on-going amendment of the Constitution of the country, provision for the immunity of principal officers of the National Assembly.

    “It is the general position of majority of Nigerians that the immunity provision as currently stated in the 1999 Constitution as amended, should be amended to remove criminal proceedings in the immunity clause, such that the President, the Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors will not be immuned from criminal proceedings when such offences are committed by any of them.

    “This feeling of most Nigerians is as a result of the impunity, recklessness, corruption and the insensitive conduct of majority of those who are protected by the immunity clause.

    “It is therefore disturbing that some of our elected legislators wish to add the principal officers of the National Assembly to the long list of those acting with impunity and polluting our democracy.

    “More disturbing is the fact that each time there is effort to amend the Nigerian Constitution a proposed obnoxious provision rears its head to scuttle the entire exercise especially after huge scarce public resources had been expended in the process of constitutional amendment.

    “We remember with sadness how the attempt to include a provision for a third term under President Olusegun Obasanjo administration completely scuttled all the efforts put in to amend the constitution at that time.

    “In the same manner another effort for constitutional amendment ended up in the archives after President Goodluck Jonathan refused to promulgate the already concluded exercise because of an innocuous provision that was interpreted by the Presidency to reduce in a very minimal way the powers of the President.

    “Again, the public resources expended in that exercise went down the drain. And now President Jonathan is not anywhere to exercise the powers of President.

    “This time the much expected constitutional amendment which Nigerians anticipate that will address most of the fears and misgivings of many sections of Nigeria appears doomed as a result of this mischievous and self-serving plot to include in the constitution an immunity provision for Principal Officers of the National Assembly.”

    Okorie however expressed concern over what he called “the lopsided nature of the appointments into key and strategic Public Offices by President Muhammadu Buhari” saying such lopsidedness was unsettling.

    He urge the President “to review these appointments to reflect the spirit and letters of the Federal Character provision of the Nigerian Constitution which he swore an oath to uphold and defend at his inauguration as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “We believe that he will stand out as a man of honour, consideration and integrity if he shows sensitivity to public concern over the exceeding lopsidedness of his appointment to public office.We make this recommendation for the review of these appointments out of genuine patriotic disposition as a friendly opposition political party.”

  • Senate seeks peaceful resolution of labour, banks’ feud

    Senate seeks peaceful resolution of labour, banks’ feud

    •Ngige: unionism is every worker’s right

    The National Assembly has called for peaceful resolution of the disagreement between labour and banks over retrenchment.

    It also praised the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, for his intervention in the matter.

    The NASS agreed with  the minister on dialoguing with all social partners to resolve the disagreement peacefully.

    At a public hearing on the emerging issues in the financial sector, Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking and Finance, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, said: “We sincerely commend the Federal Government for being willing to work with the banks to find a common solution to this issue of retrenchment, which affects almost every family in Nigeria.

    “I am grateful that all of us have  agreed to dialogue and I implore you to do justice to all issues before the stakeholders’ summit coming up. I, therefore, appeal to everybody to be humble and be open in our different positions at the talks.”

    Ibrahim said the NASS was happy with the explanation by Ngige that he did not threaten that the Federal Government would withdraw licences from banks that continue to retrench workers; that it was a case of misrepresentation.

    According to Ibrahim, Ngige’s explanation made room for a convivial atmosphere for social partners to dialogue and peacefully resolve all issues.

    Ngige said steps taken by him on the issue were in defence of the Constitution, the labour laws and to safeguard the interests of parties, ensure peaceful industrial milieu for enhanced productivity in the sector.

    “The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The Constitution is aware that we are in a society where all of us will not be equal and that everybody must be protected – big and small. That is why in Sections 14, 15 and 16 and even 17, the Constitution protects the employer, the economy and the workers,” he said.

    Ngige said it was from these provisions that the NASS enacted the labour laws on how to deal with issues of employment. ”So, all that my ministry has done is to execute and protect these laws from infractions. I acted in good faith to protect the interest of all,” he said.

    He cited petitions from unions in the financial sector, which border on unwholesome practices, the height of which was mindless retrenchment as the reason for his intervention.

    He directed the parties – the bank employers and the unions – to maintain the status quo ante-bellum through a press release on June 5, 2016, pending the resolution of the disputes.

    “We intervened in the spirit of collective bargaining. We got petitions from National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions employees (NUBIFE) on casualisation, contract staffing, poor remunerations, which are not in conformity with equal work, equal pay in our constitution, as well as ill-human conditions of service,” he explained.

    Ngige added that the ministry also received petitions on sacks without due compensation and resistant to unionisation contrary to Section 40 of the Constitution, which the ministry investigated and found them true in some banks.

    “We invited the concerned banks; they gave excuses on why they won’t honour the invitation while they continued with retrenchments. I know my rights as Minister of Labour and I will exercise those rights for the benefits of Nigerians, high and low. It is within my power to declare a truce in any industrial crisis. That was why I asked the banks don’t retrench further and the unions; don’t picket the banks so we can sit down to resolve the issues,” he said.

    According to Ngige, the labour law on redundancy says in Article 20 that if an employer negotiates redundancy and a party is dissatisfied, the Minister has the right to intervene.

    He said the law provides for the employer to disengage a worker if he cannot actually run his enterprise efficiently and effectively with a large number of staff, in which case, he will declare redundancy. It states clearly the process for doing this.

    “It says you must engage the labour unions in that industry and if it gets out of hand, the local unions will report to their national union. If they can’t resolve this, the parties, unions or the banks will refer it to the Minister of Labour for conciliation,” he said.

    The Minister corrected the impression that the Federal Government was interfering in the running of private businesses.

    Speaking on unionisation in the banks, the Minister added that the only institution in the financial sector where staff members are exempted from unionisation is the Central Bank and that no other bank in the country had the right to prevent its staff from forming a union.

    “Unionisation, according to the constitution and labour laws, is the right of workers. There are exemptions and the institutions that are exempted are clearly listed. Here, it is only Central Bank that is exempted in the banking sector.

    “And the law says again that the Minister of Labour in his wisdom can grant a waiver to any institution. I have not granted waver to any bank and I will not grant such,” Ngige added.

  • Impeachment: APC reacted to mere speculation – Senate

    The Senate on Thursday expressed surprise that the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership reacted to  mere speculation and fabrication on a purported plan to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The upper chamber said the party leadership had all the opportunity to cross-check what actually happened at its executive session held on Tuesday from its members in attendance.

    The APC described reported attempts to impeach President Buhari by pro- Saraki Senators as a joke taken too far.

    But a statement  issued by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the comments credited to the National Secretary of the party, Mai Bala Buni, “on the falsehood being spread by SaharaReporters will merely give credibility to a news item which members of the public had disregarded, knowing the reputation of the source.”

    It said, “We expected the party to at least explore all the options open to it to verify that piece of fabrication which is only the figment of the imagination of the writers and their sponsors.

    “It should be clear to the APC leadership that if there is any truth to that story, it should have been credited to a particular Senator who was at the executive session.

    “It is evident from our proceedings of Wednesday that the Senate itself was shocked that such a fabrication which constitutes a breach of the privileges of the Senators was published and that was why we mandated our committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate the source and circumstances leading to the emergence of such a fabrication.”

    Abdullahi urged the party to “always kindly seek to find out the truth about any statement, issue or development in the National Assembly before taking a public position” as the comment by the party can further create tension and give a wrong impression, particularly when it is not founded on genuine or factual ground.

    “We will like to assure the party that the Senate as an institution values the present democracy in our country and will not do anything that will undermine or weaken the system,” he added.

     

  • Buhari seeks Magu’s confirmation as EFCC chairman

    Buhari seeks Magu’s confirmation as EFCC chairman

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday requested the Senate to confirm Mr. Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    A letter from the President, read at plenary by the president of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, also sought the confirmation of Messrs Nasule Moses, Lawan Mamman, Galadanci Imam, and Adeleke Rafiu as members of the commission, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    President Buhari requested the Senate to confirm the list of the persons at the shortest time possible.

  • Senate: Forgery investigation concluded before my appointment – AGF

    Senate: Forgery investigation concluded before my appointment – AGF

    The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, on Wednesday told the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters that investigation into the alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules was concluded before his appointment as minister.

    Malami appeared before the six –member Senate panel for dragging Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others to court over alleged forgery of the Senate rule.

    The committee is investigating the allegation of “imminent threat to Nigeria’s democracy” leveled against the AGF.

    The members of the committee are -Senator David Umaru (Chairman), James Manager, Joshua Lidani, Babajide Omoworare, Chukwuka Utazi and Ovie Omo-Agege.

    Malami told the committee that he is under obligation to do whatever that can possibly be done to sustain democracy and the course of justice.

    He listed the suits in court on the matter and went further to tell the committee that the police completed investigation into the matter before he was appointed.

    He said, “As at the time I came to office, there existed report of investigation into the matter. At the time I came to office, I had obligation to file action in relation to the investigation. The suit was filed in furtherance of the concluded investigation.”

    The AGF said he had no desire whatsoever to threaten democracy.

    Malami insisted that the Senate lacked power to investigate a case pending in court.

    He reminded the committee that when a case is in court, no arm of government apart from the judiciary should look into it.

     

  • Impeachment plot against Buhari a joke – APC

    Impeachment plot against Buhari a joke – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday described as a huge joke taken too far the threat by some senators to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the senators in question should concentrate on their constitutional responsibilities.

    In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni and made available to journalists in Abuja, the party said the senators should not allow personal interest to over ride national interest.

    APC asked senators to allow the principles of rule of law prevail in the ongoing trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, over alleged forgery of Senate standing rules, saying their action could be regarded as subjudice since the matter is already before the court.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to media reports of a laughable impeachment plot by some Senators on President Muhammadu Buhari during Tuesday’s closed session of the Senate.

    “This is a huge joke taken too far.

    “The party advises the senators in question to stop this huge joke and concentrate on their primary constitutional responsibilities of lawmaking and discharging their legislative mandates to their constituents at the National Assembly. The party reiterates that the senators in question not to allow political shenanigans becloud overall national interest.

    “The party will not to join issues on the Senate forgery suit and other court cases concerning some members of the 8th Senate because it will be subjudice. We advise the senators in question to tow the same line and allow judicial processes run its normal and legitimate course.

    “Repeated allegations that the court cases are politically-motivated by the President and the APC are baseless. The President Muhammadu Buhari administration strictly respects the principle of rule of law and also adheres to the constitutional provisions of separation of power between the three arms of government.

    “The APC urges Mr. President and the entire cabinet to remain focused in its effort deliver on election promises and to steer the nation to its deserved heights.”

     

     

     

  • Senate to IGP: Arrest killers of Abuja preacher

    The Senate on Wednesday asked the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to ensure the immediate arrest of the killers of Abuja preacher, Mrs. Eunice Olawale Elisha.

    Mrs. Elisha was murdered around Gbazango areas of Kubwa, in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, while evangelizing in the early hour of Saturday.

    The order followed a motion by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who drew the attention of the Senate to the gruesome murder of the preacher.

    The Lagos Central lawmaker lamented that unwarranted killings of innocent Nigerians were becoming too rampant in the country.

    She said, “The Senate should note the gruesome murder of Deaconess Eunice Mojisola Olawale Elisha, a woman preacher on Saturday 9th July, 2016 at about 5:00am at Kubwa FCT, Abuja.

    “The Senate is saddened by the unfortunate incident which left the husband, the widower and seven children motherless.

    “The Senate recalls that Eunice Olawale has been into early morning preaching for years without complaints from any quarters.

    “The Senate is saddened that on this fateful day as she was being attacked and shouting for help, no one came to her rescue.

    “The Senate observes that unwarranted killings are becoming rampant in Nigeria.

    “The Senate observes further that it is unlawful to take the life of a citizen as enshrined in chapter four section 33, 38, 39 and 41 of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”

    She prayed the Senate to accordingly observe a one minute silence in honour of the deceased.

    She also prayed the upper chamber to commiserate with the widower, Pastor Elisha Olawale and the seven children left behind by the deceased.

  • Melaye is a big shame to legislature – Lawmaker

    Melaye is a big shame to legislature – Lawmaker

    Member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Segun Olulade has described the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, as a big shame to the legislature.

    Olulade who represents Epe 2 constituency stated this through a statement issued in Lagos Wednesday, while reacting to threat by Melaye on Tuesday to beat Senator Oluremi Tinubu during a closed-door session of the Senate over the forgery case against principal officers of the Senate.

    The lawmaker who noted that Melaye only displayed how hollow he is by threatening to beat another man’s wife, added that the Kogi Senator has verbal diarrhoea and has displayed his unworthiness to be part of the distinguished Senators to sit in the hallowed chamber.

    Speaking further, Olulade, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, pointed out that “no responsible and sane man will threaten to beat a woman, another man’s wife for that matter. Melaye’s action has shown that most of the things said about him are nothing but the truth.

    “Any responsible individual that is truly worthy to be called a Senator, a position that convokes respect, decorum and decent public conduct, should be able to manage his temper and anger. The fact that one is a Senator does not impose lunacy on the fellow to disparage others.

    “Dino has exposed himself as a simpleton and a court jester whose words and tactlessness cannot be taken seriously by matured people. If at all he has anything to offer, he should concentrate on making good laws for the people of Nigeria rather than looking for cheap and undeserved publicity by threatening to beat a fellow Senator.

    “With this recent action by Senator Melaye, he has so descended to a ridiculous level, thus displaying to the whole world his unworthiness to sit in the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian Senate,” the statement read in part.

    Olulade, however, cautioned the Senator to start behaving with decorum, noting that as a legislator, “he should be an advocate of maintenance of law and order, how will he take if someone threatens to beat his wife,” he queried.

  • Summon: Senate threatens to arrest AGF

    Summon: Senate threatens to arrest AGF

    The Senate yesterday threatened to invoke necessary legislative powers including arrest warrant to drag the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Ababukar Malami, to appear before it.

    The resolution followed explanation by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru, on the circumstances surrounding the failure of Malami to honour the invitation of his committee.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said that the Senate would be guided by Constitutional provisions to deal with the AGF if he failed once again to honour the invitation of the upper chamber.

    Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution attached to the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, had told the committee that it lacked the power to summon Malami since the AGF was not an appointee of the Senate.

    Obono-Obla who represented the AGF at a sitting of the committee insisted before he was walked out of the meeting that Malami did not commit any offence by dragging Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu to court over alleged forgery of Senate standing rule.

    Umaru who came under personal explanation said: “The resolution of the Senate was for the committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to invite the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to appear before it and explain the reason behind attempts to prefer charges against the principal officers of this hallowed chamber.

    “In line with the directive, we invited the Honourable Attorney General, first on the 23rd of June and on that date he did not appear but a letter was received by our committee to the effect that he needed more time to articulate its position and that he was out of the country.

    “The committee obliged him, we scheduled another meeting for the 30th of June, on that day,  the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice did not appear before the committee.

    “However, somebody who claimed to be Mr. Oblar appeared to say that he was appearing on behalf of the minister.

    “The committee therefore told him that he was not an invitee and that we will not attend to him and we asked him to leave.

    “I have being informed by Senator Ita Enag (Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters) and I have received lots of attempts to reach me by the Hon. Attorney General. Senator Ita Enag have informed me that the Attorney General regrets his inability to respond to our petition and that he requests time to appear before us.

    “I think it is important for the distinguished colleagues to be informed about this development and for us to request for more time to give him the opportunity to appear since he has indicated his willingness to appear before the committee.”

    Saraki who did not allow debate of the matter said insisted that the AGF must appear before the committee in line with the resolution of the Senate.

    He noted that failure to comply with the resolution of the Senate to appear before the committee necessary constitutional steps would be taken to enforce Senate resolution.

    The Senate President noted that they would have no choice than to follow strictly what he Constitution dictates if the AGF failed to honour the Senate.

    Saraki said, “We all heard the explanation of the chairman Judiciary. What he is trying to get across to us here is to tell us the status of the situation because what we have been reading in the papers was of great concern where the number one judicial officer of the country will be the one that will be flouting the Constitution.

    “Section 89 (c) of the Constitution is very clear. But it appears from what you are saying that the Attorney General is requesting for one more chance to be given to appear before you.

    “The Senate is always in the progress of development; as such we will do that and ensure that he does come this time.

    “Otherwise, we will have no choice than to follow the constitution strictly.

    “So, you will report back to us before the end of the week to let us know the status of that situation.

    “If that does not happen, we will go ahead and go in line with the Constitution very clearly.”

  • Senate tackles SGF over constituency projects

    Senate tackles SGF over constituency projects

    A war of attrition may be brewing between the Senate and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal.

    The Senate yesterday summoned Lawal to explain his alleged unsavoury comments on 2016 constituency project implementation.

    The invitation followed the adoption of a motion by Senator Matthew Urhoghide (Edo South).

    The motion almost threw the chamber into a rowdy session following divergent views on the SGF’s comment.

    Urhoghide, in his lead debate, said his representation as a senator was being threatened by the SGF.

    He said the SGF was quoted to have declared that the 2016 approved projects would not be implemented.

    The Edo South lawmaker said it was unbecoming of the SGF to declare that N60 billion constituency projects in a budget of N6.08 trillion would not be implemented.

    Deputy Senate Leader  Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, who seconded the motion, however, said the Senate should not dignify a statement from “improper authority.”

    Na’Allah said what Lawal was reported to have said could not be the position of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said: “I wish to state that this Senate will be doing a lot of good to democratic process. It is precise to recognise some certain issues that are fundamental.

    “This Senate is aware that SGF is not the Finance minister, this Senate is equally aware that he is not a minister of Budget, this Senate is equally aware that the SGF is not a spokesperson of the Federal Government. I want to say that what was alleged to have been said by the SGF cannot be the position of Mr. President.

    “We should not dignify comments from improper authority. The SGF does not have the authority to speak for the Federal Government.”

    Deputy Minority Whip Biodun Olujimi said whatever comes from the SGF as the highest nominee of the Federal Government should not be taken lightly.

    Olujimi said:  “The SGF is the highest administrative nominee of this government and whatever comes out of his mouth must be a policy statement that has to do with government.

    “I have a secretary to the government in my state; when she speaks, she speaks responsibly because she knows whatever comes out of her mouth will be taken as important.

    “In the last few months, we have had an SGF that has been speaking carelessly and has being meddling with affairs of the other tiers of government and that is not right.

    “The SGF himself called the conference of such eminent Nigerians, a conference that was put together to see how we can take care of the problems of Nigeria and people came together to talk about Nigeria, to talk about our existence and talk about moving forward, he called it a job for the boys.

    “The next thing he will do was to say constituency projects that have been approved by this red chamber will not be properly implemented.”

    Chairman, Appropriation Committee, Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) said: “I was surprised and shocked when I read the statement credited to the SGF. I felt embarrassed.

    “He shouldn’t have made that statement. Without prejudice to the motion, let the SGF come and explain.

    “In addition, we in Appropriations have sent an invitation to the minister of Finance and minister of Budget to come and clarify and give us an update on the budget implementation as a whole.”

    Goje said because the budget was passed as an Act of the National Assembly, assented to by Mr. President “if that law is not going to be implemented, we have to know why.”

    Senator Adamu Aliero said it would be unfair for the Senate to expect that the 2016 budget would be implemented 100 per cent.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki said the proper thing should be to invite the SGF to explain what he said.

    The Senate president, therefore, mandated the joint committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Finance and Appropriation to grill the SGF on what he said.

    Saraki asked the joint committee to report back to the Senate in plenary within the week.