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Tag: Senate

  • Ambassadorial nominees’ list cannot be changed – SGF

    Ambassadorial nominees’ list cannot be changed – SGF

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir David Lawal and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, on Tuesday told the Senate that the list of 47 ambassadorial nominees sent to the Senate by President Muhamnadu Buhari cannot be changed.

    The duo insisted that the ambassadorial nominees, picked on the prerogative of the President, “do not need to cut across the 36 states of the federation as was the case with ministerial nominees.”

    Lawal and Onyeama made the submission when they appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

    The committee had invited them over alleged lopsidedness in the list of ambassadorial nominees.

    Four states – Ondo, Bayelsa, Ebonyi and Plateau – claimed that they were excluded from the nominees’ list.

    The SGF in his explanations noted that the list was based on certain criteria.

    He said that 32 out of the 36 states in the federation were captured, which to him, showed substantial compliance to the federal character principles.

    Lawal said part of the criteria used in the selection of the nominees apart from their respective records of service, was change compatibility value of the nominee in line with the change agenda of the present administration.

    He said, “You must understand the mindset of this government. It is a change government. It is important that whoever is going to be on board in this government, who is going to play one role or the other must be somebody that we will like to call change compatible. He must establish his integrity, his qualification on the job and his ability to deliver on the job.”

    The SGF, however, assured the committee that the four states omitted in the list would be compensated in the non- career list that would soon be forwarded to the Senate by President Buhari.

  • Senate summons SGF over constituency projects

    Senate summons SGF over constituency projects

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

    The Senate on Tuesday summoned Lawal to appear before it and explain his alleged unsavory comments on the 2016 constituency project implementation.

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

    The motion almost threw the chamber into a rowdy session due to 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 copiously quoted to have declared that the 2016 approved constituency projects would not be implemented.

    He noted that the declaration by the SGF was a threat to his representation.

    The Edo South lawmaker said one of the statutory roles of a Senator was to represent his constituents.

    He noted that it was unbecoming of the SGF to declare that N60 billion constituency projects in a budget of N6.08 trillion would not be implemented.

    He said, “The budget is a law. Any violation of the budget is a violation of the law. It is an impeachable offence to violate the budget and we are not going to allow that. There is overwhelming hatred for the National Assembly.”

    Urhoghide said the SGF should be summoned within the least possible time, within the next 48 hours, to explain why he declared that the constituency projects would not be implemented.

     

  • Senate threatens to arrest AGF

    Senate threatens to arrest AGF

    The Senate Tuesday 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.”

     

     

  • The tango between Senate and AGF

    SIR: Recently the Senate summoned the Attorney General of the Federation to explain why he was prosecuting the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President over alleged forgery of the Senate rules.

    The AGF sent a representative in the person of Chief OkoiObono-Obla, Special Adviser to the President on Prosecution. The chief was not granted audience. He later on addressed the press where he submitted that the Senate has no powers to summon the AGF on the issue. This comment has raised some dust in legal and political circles.

    Under S.67 (2) A minister of the government of the federation SHALL attend the National Assembly if invited to explain the conduct of the ministry and when the affairs of the ministry is under discussion.

    Under S 88 of the Constitution also, the National Assembly has powers to investigate any Ministry, Agency, department or persons and by so doing invite any such person.

    Under S 89 of the Constitution, the National Assembly also has power to summon anyone in Nigeria to give it to further any investigation under S 88.

    Finally under S 89 (2) The National Assembly can further issue any warrant through the Inspector General of Police or any police officer to compel the attendance of the person summoned.

    However, the AGF is a sui generis minister. He is unlike any other minister in the cabinet. In fact his portfolio is the only one provided for in the constitution. Other ministries can be scrapped, merged and renamed as the President desires but not the ministry headed by the AGF.The AGF is both the minister of justice and the chief law officer of the country. In fact many have campaigned for these two huge responsibilities to be separated to avoid confusions like the one we are talking about here.

    Of course, the Senate has the powers to summon any minister including the minister of justice.But when the AGF is acting as a law officer and a prosecutor he becomes an officer of the court and a sort of god unto himself. That is what Chief Obono-Oblawas saying when he said: “The Honourable Attorney General in  exercise of his power over public prosecution under Section 174 subsection 1 of the Constitution is not answerable to any authority or person and as such the exercise of this power is not subject to review by any authority, even the courts. See State v Ilori (1983) 2 SC 155′.”

    As the minister of Justice, the AGF is part of the executive but when acting as a prosecutor he is strictly part of the judiciary.

    The Senate can summon the AGF as the minister of Justice to give account of his ministry but he cannot be summoned while acting as a prosecutor. That’s what the constitution says and that is what the Supreme Court decided in State v. Ilori.

    The Senate cannot terrorise the judiciary under the guise of oversight functions. The constitution that anointed it with the powers to oversee ministers is the same constitution that anointed the AGF with the vast powers to prosecute anyone without being answerable to anyone.

     

    • First Baba Isa,

    Abuja.

  • Senate vows to discourage free trade monopoly

    Senate vows to discourage free trade monopoly

    Any form of monopoly that can impede the development of private and public free trade zones (FTZs) in the country will be removed, the  Senate said yesterday through its Committee on Trade and Investment.

    Speaking after leading members to inspect facilities at the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL), Committee  chair Mrs. Fatimat Raji-Rasaki Yusuf said the fact-finding tour would enable the senate gather needful information to aid its review of existing laws. She was accompanied by senators Effiong Nelson and Yusuf Abubakar.

    Senator Raji-Rasaki renewed the upper chamber’s commitment to creating a conducive environment to move the economyforward by strengthening the laws governing operation of FTZs.

    According to her, the committee has a plan to visit similar projects in Calabar and Kano.

    Also speaking, Senator  Nelson informed that the committee has commissioned a team of consultants to work with it in looking at 45 laws that would among other things, look at the issue of monopoly and waivers from an all-inclusive view.

    The issue of monopoly which gives undue advantage to a particular company has been on the front burner of discourse at the FTZ fora.

    He listed other contentious concerns as legislative provisions pertaining to taxes, levies, duties and foreign exchange on the viability of the free zones.

    LADOL Chairman Mr. Ladi Jadesimi said the committee’s visit would conveyed a different perception of what Nigerians are capable of doing. He pleaded with the senators to ensure a conducive business environment devoid of policy somersault that could send wrong signal to investors.

    President Muhammadu Buhari recently commended LADOL’a unique contribution as one of the strategic investments driving the nation’s economy.

    Buhari made remarks at the opening of talks at the sixth African Petroleum Congress and Exhibition (CAPE VI) in Abuja. The exhibition was  organised by the African Petroleum Producers Association (APPA).

    The President, who was represented  by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, identified LADOL, which has invested over $600 million, as one of the companies adding value to the local economy through its ingenuity.

    Lauding LADOL’s contributions to economic growth, the President shailed Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), which has been building one of the world’s largest oil platforms at the LADOL base in Tarkwa Bay, Lagos.

    The LADOL/SHI project commonly referred to as Egina Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platform valued at $3.8 billion, is believed to be first of its kind to be built in sub-Saharan Africa.

    The President, who urged other investors to emulate LADOL, said African countries should develop ingenious ways of promoting investments through sustainable policies in local content.

    The LADOL/SHI FPSO project has created 5,000 direct jobs and over 50,000 indirect employments by leveraging on the Local Content Act 2010.

    President who described LADOL industrial free zone in Lagos – a wholly indigenous, privately developed and hosting the largest shipyard in West Africa allied with the Samsung FPSO integration yard at the base, said the joint venture will aid Nigeria’s quest for her pride of place as a leading world economy.

     

     

  • Saraki, Ekweremadu forgery case: AGF is partisan, says Senate

    Saraki, Ekweremadu forgery case: AGF is partisan, says Senate

    The Senate yesterday described Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) as partisan, in the forgery case he is prosecuting against Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, in a statement accused Malami of having “personal and pecuniary interest in the case as he was a counsel to the aggrieved Senators who decided to externalise the issue of election of the leadership of the upper chamber of the National Assembly after they failed in their bid to get their preferred candidate elected.”

    Abdullahi described Malami as “the one who advised his clients to report the matter to the Police and now that he has become AGF, he decided to use his constitutional powers to pursue private interest by filing a criminal case in the FCT High Court against the subsisting ruling of a court of co-ordinate jurisdiction.”

    The statement added: “When the Senate invited the AGF to come and throw light on the forgery case, it was not to challenge his right to file, take over or discontinue any criminal case but for him to explain the issues of conflict of interest, abuse of office, disrespect of a subsisting order of  a court and violation of the principle of Separation of Powers which are being raised against him.

    “When his supporters jumped up and started abusing the Senate over the invitation, we know our position that an Attorney General and indeed any public officer for whose office public funds are appropriated can be invited by the Senate and the House of Representatives to explain certain issues, is on firm, constitutional ground.

    “That is in spite of the fact that the AGF is responsible to the President who appointed him.

    “It should be noted that Malami’s name is still on the list of lawyers defending Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi and others in the Federal High Court.

    “We invite all Nigerians, including those shouting over whether it was right for the Senate to invite the AGF or not, to read the ruling of Justice Kolawole and conclude whether Malami is still fit to be AGF in a government which canvasses change and rule of law.

    “Our position as a law making chamber is that the Office of AGF is a sensitive and strategic one being the only other office in the executive arm apart from that of President and Vice President to which the constitution specifically assigns some roles and powers.

    “It must therefore be occupied by a sober, law abiding, brilliant, mature, broad-minded and less partisan lawyer.

    “Mr. Malami is yet to convince us with his handling of this case that he possesses these attributes.

    “We call on him to respect the ruling of the court and to redeem the integrity of his office.

    “In conclusion, the Senate is calling on all parties, Mr. Malami, the Attorney General inclusive, to heed the wise, timely and apt advice of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that “it is time to move on.”

    “Truly, Nigeria needs our collective energy to address the various challenges – notably increasing poverty, hunger, youth unemployment, general insecurity and kidnapping, among others – which are time bombs that we can only ignore at our own collective peril.”

  • Senate Committee charges FRC on intervention funds

    The Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) has been charged to investigate how banks utilise intervention funds

    This challenge was posed by the Senate committee on Trade and Investment during an oversight visit to the Council in Lagos at the weekend.

    The Chairman of the committee, Senator Fatimat Raji Rasaki, charged the FRC to go after the banks handling intervention funds to ensure that they give proper accounts.

    Unimpressed with how some of the intervention funds meant for dedicated sectors are being used, Rasaki said the FRC by its position as the body which receive financial reports of banks, should use its expertise to curb abuse of the funds.

    While commending the body for its work on maintaining of accounting and other financial standards, the committee chairman called for increased funding of the FRC to ensure adequate performance of its role without compromising standards.

    Briefing members of the committee, the Executive Secretary of the FRC, Mr Jim Obazee, said work has already advanced in the production of a new uniform code of corporate governance for the country.

    He, however, noted that work has been slowed down by legal challenges by some stakeholders, while projecting that the code would be functional by the third quarter of the year.

    He said the code would correct lapses such as insiders dominated boards, non-independent corporate boards of companies, absence of minority voices on boards, inadequate board monitoring and supervision of the executive as well as compromisable and ineffective audit function and committees.

  • AGF to Senate: You cannot summon me

    AGF to Senate: You cannot summon me

    The ongoing war of attrition between the Presidency and the Senate got messier on Thursday.

    The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, said the Senate lacks the power to summon him for questioning.

    The AGF, who was invited by the Senate to appear before its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, said that he is not answerable to the lawmakers.

    He said that the Senate did not appoint him and therefore lacks the jurisdiction to summon him.

    The Senate fired back that it may be forced to issue a warrant of arrest against the AGF for his refusal to honour its invitation.

    The Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution attached to the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, who represented the AGF, was walked out the meeting room.

    The altercation took place at Senate Meeting Room 3 31.3, 3rd Floor, New Senate Building, National Assembly Complex.

    The Senate had on Tuesday invited Malami to appear before it to explain why it became necessary for him to drag Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to court over alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules.

    Saraki, Ekweremadu and two others were arraigned at a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday to answer the charges.

     

  • Senate replies SGF: we’re on trial

    Senate replies SGF: we’re on trial

    The Senate yesterday said contrary to position of the Federal Government, the trial of Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu was to force a leadership change in the upper chamber.

     Committee on Media and PublicityChairman Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, in response to a memo by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir David Lawal, that Saraki and Ekweremadu should not create the impression that the entire Senate is on trial.

     Abdullahi, in a statement last night, said the Senate was being targeted to intimidate the legislature and force a leadership change.

    Lawal added that only Saraki, Ekweremadu, and two others were being tried for alleged forgery.

    Abdullahi in his response said: “We note the statement issued by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Mr. David Babachir Lawal, that the Senate is not the one on trial in the forgery case instituted by the Attorney General of the Federation against the Senate President and his Deputy.

    “We disagree with him on this position and we maintain our earlier stand that it is the Senate that is the target of the present attempt to intimidate the legislature to force a leadership change in the Senate.

    Mr. Babachir Lawal should tell us how reasonable it is to conclude that when the President of Nigeria and the Vice President are being jointly tried in a suit whose outcome can remove them from office, it is not the Buhari Government that is being targeted.

     “It is also imperative to clearly state that contrary to the claim by the SGF, neither the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki nor Senator Ike Ekweremadu was mentioned by the petitioners, the statements by those interviewed by the police or even the police report.

    “Meanwhile, let us refresh Mr. Lawal’s memory about the facts of the 1999 case.

     “It is obvious that the Senate President and his deputy are not being accused of certificate forgery as it happened in ex-Speaker Salisu Buhari’s case.

     “Therefore, nobody should compare an apple with an orange. Also, neither Saraki nor Ekweremadu is below the age requirement for their present positions as it was alleged in the Buhari case.

     “Attempts to make the two situations look similar is to present all Nigerians as having no sense of history.

    “We also know that nobody can be accused of forging his own signature. The executive is in no position to determine what is the correct Standing Orders of the Senate.

     “The Senate President and his deputy were as at the morning of the June 9, 2015 inauguration of the Senate mere senators-elect and could therefore not have been in a position to influence any alteration in the rule book.

    “The Senate as an institution, and indeed the National Assembly, has spoken about their understanding of the present assault on their independence by the executive’.

     “We maintain that this trial is a design by the Executive to criminalise the internal affairs of the Senate to create a distraction for the leadership of the Senate, force a leadership change and cow the legislators.

    “Those behind this plot find this trial more expedient and important than finding tangible solutions to the multi-various socio-economic problems bedeviling the country.

    “However, we are sure they will fail in this attempt. We only hope they will allow the judiciary to truly and creditably perform its duties and give independent verdict on the case.”

  • Senate invites Attorney-Gen. over Saraki, Ekweremadu

    Senate invites Attorney-Gen. over Saraki, Ekweremadu

    The Senate yesterday invited Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami to appear before it to explain why he took Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu to court over alleged forgery.

    Saraki, Ekweremadu and two others were arraigned at a Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday to answer charges of alleged forgery of 2015 Standing Rule of the Senate.

    Following a motion by Senator Dino Melaye, (Kogi West) entitled “imminent threat to our democracy” the Senate resolved to invite Malami to explain why he allegedly disregarded and reopened the alleged forgery case against Saraki and others when a court of competent jurisdiction had struck it.

    The Senate said Justice Gabriel Kolawole of Abuja High Court adjudicated and ruled on the matter affirming that the issue is an internal affair of the Senate.

    Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, in a letter NASSIS/CJHL/024/2016/10 dated 27th June, 2016 and addressed to Hon. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice said Malami should appear before it tomorrow to throw light on his role in Saraki and Ekweremadu’s arraignment.

    The letter was received in the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice on 28 June, 2016 as stamped.

    Also yesterday, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu wrote the United Nations, (UN),the  European Union (EU), the United States’ Congress, the European Union (EU) Parliament, Governments of United States, United Kingdom and other foreign missions, over his trial for alleged forgery of the Senate standing rule.

    Ekweremadu raised the alarm over what he described as an attempt to truncate Nigeria’s democracy and “silence me as the leader and highest ranking member of the opposition in the country, all in the name of prosecuting an alleged forgery case.”

    The two-page document, entitled: “Re: Trumped Up Charges Against the Presiding Officers of the 8th Senate: Nigerian Democracy is in Grave Danger,” a copy of which was sighted by our reporter in Abuja, urged the international community, to “after perusing the facts before them, decide whether or not the trial was justified, or one purely borne out of political vendetta.”

    He attached copies of the court summons and other documents relating to the matter to his letter.

    Ekweremadu said: “You may further wish to judge for yourself whether this unfolding scenario, coupled with the clampdown on the opposition, such as targeted arrests and indefinite detention of opposition figures and dissenting voices in spite of court pronouncements and in clear violation of the Nigerian constitution, as well as the sustained marginalization of the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones of Nigeria, does not constitute a grave danger to the nation’s hard-won democracy.”

    “Moreover, the rules and principles of fair hearing have not been adhered to because the police have not interacted with me or the President of the Senate as at the time of writing this letter.

    “You may also wish to judge for yourself whether this trial orchestrated against me is not a political trial, calculated witch-hunt, barefaced intimidation, and a clear attempt to emasculate the parliament and silence me as the leader and highest ranking member of the opposition in Nigeria.

    “Meanwhile, it could also be recalled that an attempt was made on my life on November 17, 2015. The Nigerian security agencies did nothing, even though the incident was duly reported“.