The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Senate

  • Senate to probe TSA operations

    The Senate on Wednesday asked its committees on Finance, Banking and other Financial Institutions and Public Account to carry out a holistic investigation of the operation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) regime.

    Although the upper chamber commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the introduction of TSA, it said its designated committees should look into the operations of the policy and report back in four weeks.

    This followed the adoption of a motion entitled: “Abuse and mismanagement of the Treasury Single Account regime,” sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye and 31 others.

    Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Lagos West) in his contribution commended the mover of the motion.

    He noted that the fact that an All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator is sponsoring the motion is a clear indication of the commitment of APC as a party to the fight against corruption.

    Adeola said the appointment of consultants to collect revenue is a global practice which is not new even in the country.

    The Lagos lawmaker said he does not believe that anything had gone wrong with the implementation of the TSA until after investigation.

    He warned the Senate should not put the cat before the horse by making unsubstantiated assumptions until proper investigation is conducted to find out if anything had gone wrong.

    Adeola, who said there was no doubt that the government is making huge sums of money through the TSA noted that in one transaction alone almost half of the country’s annual budget was paid into TSA from banks.

    He said that although government accounts are now being known through the TSA policy, a particular bank still concealed an account containing N40 billion.

    He said the bank had already been fined N4 billion by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

  • Senate’s 65 committees illegal, says Marafa

    Senate’s 65 committees illegal, says Marafa

    Some senators are grumbling over the composition of committees. Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central) yesterday called for the immediate cancellation of the 65 standing committees announced on November 4 by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    Marafa said the committees were constituted in flagrant disregard of the standing rules and order book of the Senate.

    Marafa, who spoke during plenary, described Order 1 of the Standing Rules as unambiguous, adding that the Senate’s business should be conducted in accordance with the spirit and letters of its Order and Rules Book.

    He labelled the prevailing situation in the upper chamber as “legislative tyranny”.

    He said: “What we are witnessing in the Senate today is legislative tyranny, where impunity has become the order of the day.”

    Marafa, who was assigned chairman, Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population and Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on Sports, faulted the increase of the number of committees by Saraki from 57 as contained in the Rules book to 65.

    He noted that it was wrong for the Senate President to have single handedly increased the number of committees without recourse to the Senate.

    He insisted that “if we can treat our own Order and Rules book with impunity, we have no reason whatsoever to be in the Senate.”

    Marafa also faulted the composition of the Selection Committee, a body of Senate Principal officers, which assigns committees.

    He noted that the Senate Deputy Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South), was not fit and proper to occupy the position because he is not the most ranking senator from the Northwest.

    Marafa said no fewer than six senators from the zone, including Senator Abu Ibrahim, Senator Kabiru Gaya, Ibrahim Gobir , Ahmed Sani Yerima and himself, are ranked higher than Na’Allah.

    Na’Allah was two times a member of the House of Representatives.

    He said the “wilful disregard of Senate Order 100, which stipulates that the chairman of the Selection Committee should in consultation with the committee and with the approval of the Senate should constitute committees’ should not be swept under the carpet.

    Marafa, who quoted the Senate Rules book to buttress his stand, noted that if the Senate President goes ahead to inaugurate the committees, “I expect Nigerians to charge him for contempt”.

    He added: “Nobody can read names of chairmen and vice chairmen of committees and just hit the gavel and expect us to accept them. We must be guided by our Rules book. By the time you abuse a section of the rule, everything will be in danger.”

    Marafa also said that he had not recanted that the Senate was not properly inaugurated “because the matter is still in court”.

    He explained that any time he used the Rules book, he always made it clear that he was using the “disputed” Rules book.

    He asked: “Was the committees subject to our approval today. The answer is no.”

    Asked whether he had rejected the committee assigned to him, Marafa said that he could not reject what does not exist.

    “There are no committees,” he insisted.

    “There is no committee. They are not legally constituted and they cannot function. Any further action is unacceptable to Nigerians and I have discharged that responsibility.’’

    Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North), who supported Marafa with another Point of Order, insisted that there were procedures for constituting standing committees.

    Hunkuyi, who was named Vice Chairman, Federal Character Commission and Inter-Governmental Affairs, said there was no resolution on the committees at plenary.

    He said: “This is one of the three issues that we are contending. We are blowing the whistle, educating those that do not know and then throwing light on those areas that we feel Nigerians require to know.”

    However, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the committees were properly constituted and approved during the adoption of votes and proceedings yesterday.

    Abdullahi noted that no senator has the power to declare any proceeding in the Senate null and void because no senator is a judge.

    He said: “Marafa said the votes and proceedings of Wednesday, Nov. 4 were approved today and the approval contains the issues he is raising.

    “And it is very clear that the composition of committee leadership was part of the votes and proceedings. So, I don’t know what approval he is looking for.

    “As far as the Senate is concerned, we have approved the chairmen and vice chairmen of the 65 committees. I want to believe that the issues raised by Senator Marafa are not new at all.

    “It is just a repeat of what we have seen in the past. The issues he has raised cannot be far from the leadership issue which you are all very familiar with.’’

    Abdullahi urged all aggrieved senators to embrace peace and work for Nigeria’s progress.

    The Senate, he said, has serious work to do.

    The Senate President ruled that the Selection committee has “noted the Point of Order” raised by Marafa.

    Saraki added that the committee would note his observations.

    The Senate observed a minute silence in honour of the Acting Clerk of the Senate, Mr Adedotun Durojaiye, who died on Friday.

    After the silence, the Senate adjourned midway into plenary as a mark of respect for the late Durojaiye.

     

  • Judgment in The Nation’s suit against Senate for Dec. 4

    Judgment in The Nation’s suit against Senate for Dec. 4

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday fixed December 4 for judgment in The Nation’s suit against the Senate and National Assembly.

    Justice Mohammed Yunusa adjourned after the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Wahab Shittu, adopted and argued his processes.

    Vintage Press Limited (Publisher of The Nation), the Editor, Gbenga Omotoso and a correspondent, Imam Bello, are the applicants.

    Shittu told the court that to date, the respondents have not filed any response to the suit.

    “They have neither filed a memorandum of appearance, nor have they joined issues with the applicants. In the circumstances, we seek the leave of the court to adopt our processes,” he said.

    After identifying the motions he filed, Shittu prayed the court to enter judgment in the applicants’ favour.

    According to him, Nigeria was a democracy governed by the rule of law. Therefore, the Senate’s invitation to the applicants amounted to unlawful interference with the functions reserved exclusively for the press.

    The 45 days within which the lawmakers were to respond to the action lapsed without them filing any defence or asking for an extension of time.

    Justice Yunusa had granted an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents, whether by themselves, their members, committees or agents from summoning the applicants or any of their agents before any Senate committee.

    According to the proof of service, the suit was received by the Office of the Senate President on September 1. The National Assembly was earlier served on August 27 through the Office of the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly.

    The Senate had, in an August 4 letter, invited Omotoso and Bello to appear before it unfailingly over the story: “Motion: 22 APC Northern senators ‘working against Buhari’”, published on July 30.

    The Senate wrote again on August 11, threatening to invoke Section 89 (1) (D) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to compel the applicants’ appearance.

    But the court barred the lawmakers from requesting the applicants to produce any papers, notes or other documents in respect of the story.

    The judge also restrained the respondents from issuing a warrant to compel the applicants’ attendance before the Senate committee set up to investigate the publication.

    The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that as media organisation/journalists, they are entitled to the protection and enforcements of their rights to freedom of expression and the press as guaranteed under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act of 2004.

    They also want the court to hold that the respondents are not entitled to interfere or derogate from the applicants’ fundamental rights to freedom of expression and the press.

    Among others, they sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents whether by themselves, their members, committees or agents from summoning or directing the applicants’ appearance before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions or any other committee and/or requesting the production by the applicants of any papers, notes or other documents before any such committee or the giving of any evidence by the applicants or any of their agents before any such committee.

    In his written address, Shittu argued: “It is our humble submission that the competing rights of the parties in this suit must be protected and balanced.

    “It was averred in the affidavit in support of this application that the second respondent has caused a letter to the applicant threatening to compel the attendance of the second and third applicants if they fail to show up at the committee meeting in order to disclose the sources of their information, contrary to the ethics of journalism profession and in contravention of the provisions of Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guaranteeing their freedom of expression and the press under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution.

    “The action of the respondents may occasion great injustice on the applicants.

    “We submit that sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) do not derogate from the rights guaranteed by the Constitution under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    “It is our submission that Section 88 was made subject to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and it relates to oversight function of the respondents on agencies of government and does not include interference to operation and freedom of the press as guaranteed under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    “It is our submission that the actions of the respondents in the circumstances are designed to harass, intimidate, interfere and molest the applicants’ fundamental rights as constitutionally guaranteed and prevent the applicants from discharging their professional obligations to the Nigerian public thereof and to forcefully extract from the applicants the source of information leading to the story ‘Motion: 22 APC northern senators working against Buhari’, written by the third applicant (Bello).

    “We state that the content of the publication has not been disputed or challenged, neither was any contrary information regarding thereto made available by the respondent to the applicants for publication and there has been no formal complaint by the respondents to the applicants regarding the content of the referred publication.

    “It is not open to the National Assembly or any of its committees to clothe itself with the aprons of the courts and purport to make decision on issues of legal rights and liabilities in blatant breach of the rule of the separation of power.

    “The National Assembly has no power to make judicial decision, with judgmental flavour by means of political resolution or otherwise. The investigative power of the National Assembly does not extend to the grant of judicial relief or redress.

    “We submit that in the event that our application for interlocutory injunction is refused, the first respondent whose illegal actions are being challenged would, through its unfettered power, compel the attendance of the applicants to disclose the source of their publication even without any formal complaint against such publication.

    “With profound respect to my Lord, we urge the Honourable Court to hold that the applicants have legal rights to be protected in this suit and the balance of convenience tilts in favour of the applicants.”

     

  • Senate postpones EFCC boss’ probe

    Senate postpones EFCC boss’ probe

    Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions yesterday postponed indefinitely, the investigation of the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde.

    The committee had scheduled to begin the probe of the EFCC boss today.

    Clerk to the committee, Mr. Freedom Osolo, in a statement in Abuja did not give any reason for the postponement.

    The statement reads: “I regret to inform you that the hearing of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions slated for Tuesday, November 10 has been postponed for the time being.

    “You will be duly informed when the meeting is rescheduled. The committee regrets any inconvenience the postponement would have caused you.”

    The committee Chairman, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, confirmed to reporters that Lamorde would appear before his committee today.

    He failed to give any reason for the postponement when spoken to on the phone.

    Anyanwu simply said: “I’m in Lagos for an oversight function and I need to know the true position.”

  • Senate postpones Lamorde’s probe indefinitely

    Senate postpones Lamorde’s probe indefinitely

    The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, on Monday postponed indefinitely the investigation of the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde.

    The committee had scheduled to commence the probe of the EFCC boss on Tuesday.

    The Clerk to the committee, Mr. Freedom Osolo, who stated this in a statement in Abuja, did not give any reason for the sudden postponement.

    Osolo said: “I regret to inform you that the hearing of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions slated for Tuesday, November 10, 2015 has been postponed for the time being.

    “You will be duly informed when the meeting is rescheduled, please. The committee regrets any inconveniences the postponement would have caused you.”

    The clerk had on November 4, issued a statement saying the committee would hold a public hearing with all petitioners and those they petitioned on Tuesday ( November 10), by 2:00pm at the Meeting Room 120, New Senate Building,  National Assembly,  Abuja.

    The Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, also confirmed to reporters that Lamorde would appear before his committee on Tuesday.

    Anyanwu also failed to give any reason for the postponement when he was contacted on telephone.

    He simply said, “I am in Lagos for an oversight function and I need to know the true position.”

     

     

  • Senate to probe SURE-P spending

    Senate to probe SURE-P spending

    SENATORS yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate all expenditures made by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration under the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

    The lawmakers specifically urged the President to ensure  that every kobo spent on SURE-P and other poverty alleviation programmes is accounted for.

    The Senate, however, rejected a proposal that Buhari should immediately begin the payment of N5,000 monthly stipend to most vulnerable Nigerians — one of the campaign promises of the ruling All Progresives Congress (APC).

    The SURE-P probe resolution followed an additional prayer by Senator Babajide Omoworare (APC Osun East) on a motion for “Urgent need to curb the soaring rate of unemployment in Nigeria.”

    Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (Akwa Ibom North East) sponsored the motion.

    After adoption of the main prayers of the motion, Senator Philip Aduda (FCT) raised additional prayer, asking the Senate to urge the Federal Government to fulfill one of its numerous campaign promises.

    Aduda said the Senate should ask”the Federal Government to immediately commence the payment of the N5,000 monthly stipend it promised during the election campaign.”

    Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio promptly seconded the additional prayer.

    Senator Omoworare raised the Senate Standing Order 53(6) to oppose the additional prayer.

    This led to bickering between senators of the majority APC and opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Senate President Bukola Saraki intervened after about 22 minutes of argument to calm what could have degenerated into a rowdy session.

    Saraki mandated Aduda to repeat his additional prayer.

    Aduda did. When Saraki put the additional prayer to voice vote, he ruled that the ‘nays’ had it.

    Saraki gave Omoworare the floor to raise his additional prayer.

    Omoworare said: “I want to move that the immediate past government be made to account for every penny spent on SURE-P and other poverty alleviation programmes. I so move, Mr. President.”

    Saraki put the question to voice vote. APC Senators responded with a thunderous “aye” while PDP Senators kept silent when Saraki said those opposed should say “nay.”

    Akpan had observed in his lead debate that the latest figures of Nigeria’s soaring unemployment situation by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC) has increased to 8.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2015 from 7.5 percent in the first quarter of 2015 and 6.4 per cent in the last quarter of 2014.

    He added that “The latest statistics as released by the Bureau reveals that economically active population, or working age comprising Nigerians within the age range of 15 to 64, is now 103.5 million, increasing from 102.8 million in the last quarter of 2015, while the unemployed labour force now stands at 74 million Nigerian youths. This is truly a calamity,” he noted.

    The lawmaker expressed concern that about N2 million has been expended on intervention funds by the Federal Government to boost the productivity of various sectors of the economy in the last five years without any commensurate impact on employment generation.

    He noted: “With a projected population growth of 200 million by 2020, we project an unemployed population of about 100 million Nigerians or more. Where lies the economic future of this country?

    “If the unemployed youths of this country are effectively engaged in gainful employment, terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery and other socio-economic and cultural vices will be drastically reduced as the saying goes, ‘an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”.

    The Senate urged the Federal Government and sub-national governments to intensify efforts on employment generation activities.

    The Senate also urged the Federal Government to take steps to boost entrepreneurial developments and employment capabilities as well as integrate entrepreneurial, savings and investment culture and education into the educational curriculum at appropriate levels.

    The Senate President charged lawmakers not to play party politics with unemployment issues.

    He said: “We should stay above party lines on this issue that is so important. We have seen growth in the last years but this has not translated to employment.

    “Government alone cannot do it, the private sector has a role and the enabling environment must be created.”

    The Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) was created in 2012 following the nationwide protests that greeted the cut in petroleum subsidy by the Jonathan adnminstration.

    The programme was driven by the resources that accrued to the Federal Government as savings from the partial removal of fuel subsidy. Billlions of dollars was voted for the body.

    The objectives according to the government are:

    To mitigate the immediate impact of the partial petroleum subsidy removal on the population by laying a foundation for the successful development of a national safety net programme that targets the poor and vulnerable on a continuous basis. This applies to both the direct and indirect effects of subsidy withdrawal.

    To accelerate economic transformation through investments in critical infrastructural projects, so as to drive economic growth and achieve the Vision 20:2020.

    To promote investment in the petroleum downstream sector.

  • Saraki unveils Senate standing committees

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday unveiled the standing committees of the upper legislative chamber.

    Details later…

  • Amaechi: PDP Senators oppose adoption of votes and proceedings

    The drama trailing the nomination and confirmation of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as minister continued on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday.

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators who had stood against the confirmation of Amaechi continued their battle to scuttle the chances of the former governor from becoming a minister.

    The opposition lawmakers opposed the adoption of the votes and proceedings of October 29, the day Amaechi was confirmed by the upper chamber.

    After the prayers were said on Tuesday to signal the commencement of the business of the day, the Senate went through the votes and proceedings.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki beckoned on Senator Isiaka Adeleke (APC Osun West) to move a motion for the adoption of votes and proceedings of October 29.

    Adeleke complied promptly and moved that “The Senate do adopt the votes and proceedings of Thursday, October 29, 2015.”

    Adeleke had hardly concluded his motion when Saraki called Senator Peter Nwaboshi, (PDP Delta North) to second the motion as moved by Adeleke.

    Nwaboshi flatly declined claiming he would not be able to second the motion because he was not in the chamber when the decision on the confirmation of ministerial nominees was taken.

    Nwaboshi was specifically referring to the confirmation of Amaechi when PDP Senators staged a walk out.

    The chamber was getting tensed up and Saraki who sensed danger quickly beckoned on Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir (APC Sokoto East) to second the motion.

    Gobir did that to pave the way for Saraki to put the question.

    Saraki proceeded immediately to put the question asking those who support that the Senate adopts the votes and proceedings of October 29 to say “aye.”

    All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators thundered “aye.”

    When Saraki again asked those against to say “nay”, PDP Senators chorused “nay.”

    The implication of the development was clear in the chamber, but Saraki quickly ruled that those who said “aye’ carried the day.

  • Senate panel resumes probe of Lamorde next week

    Senate panel resumes probe of Lamorde next week

    Investigation into the alleged diversion of about N1 trillion recovered from politicians against the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, will resume next week, according to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

    The committee’s chair, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, made this known yesterday in Abuja during a chat with reporters.

    He said the committee suspended the investigation for about three weeks when it first met Lamorde.

    Anyanwu added that the INEC chairman was granted an extension of time to prepare and come for his defence.

    The senator said it was not possible for the committee to resume the probe as scheduled because it fell within the annual recess of the National Assembly, adding that many members travelled out of Abuja during the period.

    The Imo East senator noted that when the Senate resumed from the long vacation, senators had to face the task of ministerial screening and confirmation.

    The committee had its first sitting on the petition on August 26, where the petitioner, Dr. George Uboh, appeared before members to make his submissions.

    Uboh, in his petition, submitted to the Senate, accused Lamorde of diversion of about N1 trillion allegedly recovered from politicians.