The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Senate

  • Senate screens Adewole, Onyeama, four others 

    Senate screens Adewole, Onyeama, four others 

    The Senate on Tuesday completed the screening of six ministerial nominees.

    Among those screened by the 8th Senate were the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Adewale Isaac Folorunso, Hon. Bawa Bwari Abubakar, Geoffrey Onyeama, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Brig. Gen. Mansur Mohammed Dan’Ali (RTD) and Pastor Usani Uguru Usani.

    Prof. Adewole, who was the first nominee to be screened, fielded questions from senators on various issues including education, health and cultism.

    On funding of universities, he said; “what the universities are getting is poor. We really need to follow up and make sure that universities are well funded and well motivated.”

    On  cultism, the university don added that “for us at UI, cultism is not an issue. I believe working together collectively, we can address the issue of cultism.”

    He insisted that the best way to deal with health issues in the country will be to have better equipped health care centres.

    Geoffrey Onyeama, a nominee from Enugu state, said government must invest in roads and other capital projects.

    Hon. Bwari, a former Chief Whip in the House of Representatives, enjoyed a special privilege from senators who asked him to take a “bow and go”after answering question on how well Abuja can be planned.

    Pastor  Uguru, Ahmed and Brig. Gen. Dan’Ali also fielded questions from the Senators.

    The senate later adjourned plenary till Wednesday  to conclude the screening of the remaining nominees.

  • Appeal Court upholds Kwankwaso’s Senate seat

    Appeal Court upholds Kwankwaso’s Senate seat

    The Federal Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna has upheld the victory of former ‎Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as the duly elected Senator representing Kano Central Senatorial District, and dismissed the appeal of his opponent, Senator Basheer Lado Garba and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for lack of merit.

    While dismissing the two appeals filed by both Senator Garba and the PDP in the State against the earlier verdict of the election tribunal, Justice Habeeb Abiru who delivered the lead judgement said Monday, that the All Progressive Congress (APC) complied with section 85 of the Act in giving the mandatory 21 days notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the primaries that led to the eventual substitution of Kwankwaso.

    Insisting that the former Governor of Kano State was properly substituted in conduct of the election, Justice Abiru pointed out that the wishes and aspirations of the people of the Central Senatorial District of the State was to have Senator Kwankwaso as the Senator representing them.

    Justice Abiru therefore described the petition of the PDP and Senator Garba as “meddlesome interlopers”, stressing that it was “without merit have been beaten hands down” by Senator Kwankwaso.

    According to Justice Abiru, the appeal was an attempt to use the machinery of the Court in support to get what the appellants could not get through the ballot box, as he dismissed the appeal for lack of merit.

    A mammoth crowd of APC supporters were on hand jubilating over the court victory of the ex-Governor of Kano State.

  • Senate has done well, says Adeola

    he senator representing Lagos West, Solomon Adeola, has rated the Senate high in the confirmation of ministers.

    Adeola said considering that portfolios were not attached to the nominees, senators asked questions based on their curriculum vitae and speculated portfolios.

    He said on the basis of three categories of nominees, senators were able to screen and confirm them with despatch and diligence.

    “There are three categories of nominees as I discerned. We have former members of the National Assembly, those who served in public offices and those who excelled in their professions,” he said.

    He hoped the remaining screening and confirmation would be done expeditiously on the basis of the template the Senate adopted, for the ministers to assume duty and contribute to the change President Muhammadu Buhari promised Nigerians.

  • ‘Senate APC caucus not divided’

    ‘Senate APC caucus not divided’

    Senate Leader, Muhammed Ali Ndume in this interview with Adetutu Audu, speaks on the leadership crisis in the Red Chamber, fight against corruption and other issues

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the Senate is still divided, but the party is still selling a dummy to Nigerians that all is well? What is your take on this?

    Let me be honest with you. The so called factions you talked about is more outside than inside. In the Senate, we only have one faction and that is the APC and the second one is the PDP. Whatever comes to the floor of the Senate, all the APC senators are united in terms of the business of the Senate so far. There was no time in the running of the Senate that we exhibited factionalisation. Faction is based on interest which is normal in politics. People will try their hands on what they want, but if they don’t get it, we put it behind us and move forward. So, in the Senate so far, none of the members has allowed his or her interest to infringe on the overall interest of the Senate at large. We can give the Senate that credit that we are ever united in terms of addressing issues that affect the nation. So, the attack from the media about the Senate beats me. For example, is there any issue of national importance that the Senate has not touched? We had several confirmations; we have screened the ministerial nominees; we have had several bills read and there are some going through second reading. Anytime issues come up in the Senate, we treat it as such.

    It was reported that you recently met the National Leader of your party and the President over the leadership crisis in the Senate, and even some of your colleagues still acknowledge that there is a faction within the APC caucus in the Senate.

    The emergence of the current leadership created some kind of disaffection between us in terms of the two groups that were interested in the positions, but generally when you have groups contesting for positions, it is usually the lucky one that gets the say, more so, leadership is from God. When the Senate President emerged as the leader, I wanted to run as the deputy senate president, but God didn’t make it my way, but I ended up being the Leader, and the other group missed out. Truly the party was not happy initially about how the whole process that produced the presiding officers especially that of the Deputy Senate President, but the same party put all that behind it and said it was ready to move on. So, the party wanted to nominate Senators Akume and Lawan, which also didn’t work out. But after sometime, I that emerged as the senate leader, I don’t think I have issues with anybody. My colleagues in the North-East, by God’s grace and by their wish, 8 out of about 10 or 11 of us, endorsed me as the leader of the senate, and that was how I came in. Again, I don’t think we have anything personal against any of our colleagues outside politics. Senator Lawan is my friend. If God had destined that he became the President, I would have embraced his leadership. God destined that I will the leader of the Senate and here I am now

    The Senate President is presently before the Code of Conduct Bureau. Are you, like some other people, of the opinion that he should resign?

    I don’t think so. The constitution of this country which governs all of us is very clear. Everybody is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law. As of now, the Senate President is before a court of law, and until he is convicted, I don’t think it will be fair for him to be presumed guilty. It is not a fair comment.

    The clearing of the 18 ministerial nominees , some would say was an anti – climax, making people to conclude that it may have been done in other to give a soft landing to the Senate President in case he is convicted by CCB?

    I don’t get the logic behind that. Some Nigerians are hailing our actions, because this is, in a long while, the most transparent, thorough screening I have seen. We had instances where this ‘bow and go’ exercise was being abused. But what we did now was that even if you were a member of the National Assembly, and you are nominated and because of the respect we have for our colleagues, you can bow and go, but you need to interact with us and that was exactly what we did on the floor. The media, no matter what, will criticise. However, let me say this clearly, the confirmation hearing is to the dictate of our constitution. And the constitutional requirement for every nominee is very clear. Senate responsibility is to make sure that every nominee meets that constitutional requirement. So far, I don’t think there is any nominee cleared against the constitutional provision. The constitutional provision is very simple. It states that every nominee must at least meet the same requirement for those that want to contest for the House of Representatives. And these are basically three. The first is the person must be 30 years old or above. Two: the person must be educated to at least secondary school level or its equivalent.  Three: the person must be sponsored or must be a member of a political party. Then of course there are other requirements that the person must be of sound mind, must not be an ex – convict, taxpaying, and most of these people meet these requirements.

    How true is this report that the senate may be on a collision course with the Executive, given that some members of the Senate are presently undergoing either interrogation or before the court.

    What collision course? For what? The law is there and nobody is supposed to be above the law. Anybody that has questions to answer before the law should be free to do so like the Senate President, the minority leader, some senators. That is normal. If we all can presume the person is innocent until proven guilty beyond all reasonable doubt, because that is what the law says. Otherwise, if it is just accusation, you can accuse anybody. If the president at one time was accused of several things before the election, he was cleared eventually. Some of us went through such and we are today in position of leadership. I was accused of sponsoring Boko Haram and I am in court even though there isn’t evidence before the court to show. I cannot run away from it. It is normal. But for anybody to be presumed guilty before conviction is not fair.

    The PDP spokesperson in a release said that the Federal Government is arresting political opponents because of the fear that it might lose power in 2019?

    I seriously do not see how the arrest of anybody weakens any party. In the case of Senator Akpabio, he was not arrested but invited by the EFCC and the PDP is saying he was arrested. So, which is which? As Akpabio rightly said, if you serve, especially as governor of a state, a rich state like Akwa-Ibom for eight years, there is bound to be grumblings on some certain issues which was expressed in the petition against him. The EFCC has the responsibility on looking into the petition and then invite him. And after interrogation, he was allowed to go.  I guess that was what. I have not heard of any arrest. Even the person (Akpabio) involved said he was not arrested, rather he was invited. So, when PDP is talking about arresting somebody and the person the party is talking about is saying he was not arrested, and then you begin to wonder what really is happening.

    Why is the Senate yet to inaugurate the various committees, does it have anything to do with the instability in the House?

    Absolutely not! What is the instability in the Senate you are talking about? If there is one, please tell me. Having said that, I am sure you are aware that there are a few committees that are already in place, which are public accounts, media, and ad – hoc committees to take care of certain things.

    What is then delaying the inauguration of the other committees?

    We are taking our time, and more importantly, we don’t have ministers in place at the moment. If we inaugurate the committees now, what are they going to be doing? We want the ministers to be in place before we inaugurate the committees. And as you know, the government is yet to get its cabinet ready owing to the cleaning up exercise the President is presently undertaking. This government took over almost an empty treasury, a battered system and economy. The President is presently trying to streamline the ministries with the realities on ground. That has not been done yet. So, we want to see how many of the ministries we have on ground and that would allow you to carve out the appropriate committees to oversight these ministries. This is a new government and unlike the previous government when PDP was in charge; things were already on ground, so it was easier to inaugurate the committees almost immediately. I don’t see the need for the hurry. There is no vacuum so far. Work that needs to be done is being done. I don’t know why people are worried about committees. There are and will still be a lot of things that will be done differently with this Senate.

    Would you say the onslaught of the military so far against the Boko Haram will meet the December target date given by the President?

    We are hoping that they will meet the deadline. We have recorded tremendous success and most importantly, this government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is serious about addressing the security challenges. Apart from that of Boko Haram, there are other things that are affecting us economically, like oil theft which is presently being addressed. Kidnapping and armed robbery that are very rampant now are being addressed too. The President has been criss – crossing the world in other to get support from the international community. By December, I believe that the target set by the President.

  • Buhari writes Senate on INEC chairman, commissioners

    Buhari writes Senate on INEC chairman, commissioners

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday wrote the Senate over the appointment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and INEC commissioners.

    The President asked the Senate to confirm the appointments.

  • Senate’s crisis over Amaechi deepens

    Senate’s crisis over Amaechi deepens

    •Plenary adjourned
    for Saraki’s trial

    Rather than abate, the crisis over the screening of ministerial nominee Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi is deepening at the Senate.

    Yesterday, his name was removed from the Order Paper after being listed among the eight nominees for screening.

    The number was pruned to three – Adebayo Shittu (Oyo), Hajia Khadija Abba-Ibrahim (Yobe) and Claudius Daramola (Ondo), who was not on the first Order Paper.

    Only Shittu and Hajia Abba-Ibrahim were, however, screened.

    On the first Order Paper before Amaechi’s name was removed are Shittu, Hajia Abba Ibrahim, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa), Bawa Bwari (Niger), James Ocholi (Kogi), Mansur Muhammed (Zamfara) and Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna).

    Amaechi, who is on the first list of 21 nominees sent to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari on September 30, has not been screened because of the petition filed against him by the self-styled The Integrity Group.

    Amaechi has since denied the allegation against him and taken the matter to court.

    The Senate yesterday suspended plenary today without stating reasons. But, it may not be unconnected with the resumption of Senate President Bukola Saraki’s trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for alleged false assets declaration today.

    The Senate Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee which considered the petition against Amaechi was set to submit its findings yesterday but the report’s submission was also deleted from the Order Paper.

    Its Chairman Senator Samuel Anyanwu was listed to submit the report before the item, just like Amaechi’s name, was removed from the Order Paper.

    No reasons were given for the removal. Efforts to find out why they were removed failed.

    At the office of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Babajide Omoworare, nobody was ready to speak on the matter. An aide, after conferring with the lawmaker, told The Nation: “The time and terrain are too sensitive, so oga willnot say a word.”

    But, it was learnt that “the leadership of the Senate decided to shift Amaechi’s screening to pave the way for constructive consultation with hardliner Senators, particularly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

    According to a source, the Senate leadership decided to shorten plenary to allow time for a meeting of the PDP caucus.

    No member of the caucus spoke to reporters after the meeting but an insider said they were unable to resolve how to treat Amaechi’s case.

    The source noted that while a few members of the caucus “wanted us to soft pedal and support the nomination of Amaechi, others were vehement that we should not back down on our stand .”

    He added: “It is an open ended situation. Anything can still happen between today and tomorrow. The PDP caucus has not concluded. Nothing is cast in iron in politics. Some thing can still happen.”

    The caucus, he said, would still meet at the party headquarters on the issue.

    Another source said it was wrong of the Senate to continue to delay Amaechi’s screening.

    According to the source, if Amaechi is screened, the Senate has the right to confirm or reject his nomination.

    He said:  “Even though PDP senators are insisting that Amaechi should not be screened, it is better for us to screen the nominee and take a decision on him. I have it on good authority that most PDP Senators have vowed to stop Amaechi’s screening but at the end of the day, good conscience will prevail because we are talking to one another on this sensitive issue.”

    At his screening, Shittu described the upper chamber as “the most productive Senate on the soil of Africa.”

    The nominee said if he is confirmed he would do his best to ensure that the Executive and the National Assembly work in tandem for the country’s development.

    He said: “If confirmed, I will be a round peg in any ministerial posting that I’m given.”

    Shittu denied that he was indicted by a panel for religious intolerance in Oyo State, nothing that he was in Saudi Arabia when the incident occurred and couldn’t have had anything to do with it.

    The panel that investigated the matter, he said, never invited him, adding that the list of those invited was gazetted.

    The panel, he said, merely “advised him” to refrain from writing books that could inflame religious passion, adding: “It was only an advice and not an indictment.”

    Shittu said the government had since pardoned all those indicted by the panel.

    On why he lost his governorship election in 2011 on the Congress for progressive Change (CPC) platform, the nominee said he did not lose because of his personality.

    He said he lost because “the whole of South West people decided to vote for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).”

    Shittu said: “It was obvious in 2011 that in the whole of the Southwest, the ACN was the party to beat. If you have all the money and you are the best candidate our people have already formed their opinion about the party to vote for. My loss was not about my personality but about the opinion of the Southwest to vote for ACN.”

    He said going to the ministry of culture and tourism would not be going to a foreign land because he had done it before.

    The nominee said he was part of the people who crafted the APC manifesto, with the hope that if implemented, the country would have a new lease of life.

    The students feeding programme of the APC if implemented, he said, would not only create jobs for Nigerians but would also attract many children to school.

    The nominee noted that as a Muslim, his world view and aspiration were in line with what Islam teaches.

    Shittu said he would never support coercing people to embrace any religion against their wish.

    The nominee said even if Boko Haram insurgents lay claim to Islam, their activities have nothing whatsoever to do with Islam and denied that his publication, “Path to Paradice” is the sect’s guiding principle.

    Hajia Abba-Ibrahim’s screening was full of drama. Saraki described her as an affiliate member of the 8th Senate, an affiliate member of the Nigeria Governors Forum, and a three-time member of the House of Representatives.

    She said her last appointment before she joined active politics was as commissioner for Transport and Energy in Yobe State, adding that she was involved in the rural electrification programme in the 17 local government area of the state.

    Asked by Saraki to take the first question, her husband, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim asked her how she would react if “I ask you to take a bow and go.”

    There was general laughter in the chamber.

    When the laughter subsided, Saraki asked the nominee to take a bow and go.

    Senator Athanasius Achonu (Imo North) told the Senate that he has 10 petitions against the nomination of Professor Anthony Anwukah.

    The petitions were referred to the ethics committee.

    Anyanwu asked the Senate to give the committee time to treat the petitions since 10 petitions could not be treated in one day.

    Sixteen other ministerial nominees are awaiting to be screened.

     

  • Confusion in Senate over Amaechi’s screening

    Confusion in Senate over Amaechi’s screening

    There is confusion in the Senate over the screening of a former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as minister.

    Amaechi was included in the first batch of ministerial nominees submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari for screening and confirmation last month.

    The first Order Paper released by the upper chamber included eight ministerial nominees slated for screening.

    The names on the list included Amaechi, but another Order Paper issues minutes later had only three nominees, with Amaechi’s name conspicuously missing.

    The names  in the first Order Paper  are – Barr.Adebayo Shittu (Oyo), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), khadija Abba Ibrahim (Yobe), Hon. Bawa Bwari (Niger),  Ocholi Enojo James (Kogi), Mansur Muhammed (Zamfara) and Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna).

    Curiously the second Order Paper which excluded Amaechi’s name had Barr. Shittu, Claudius Omoleye Daramola (Ondo) and Khadija Abba Ibrahim.

    It is not yet clear whether Amaechi will still be screened or not.

     

  • Senate to decide Amaechi’s case Tuesday

    Senate to decide Amaechi’s case Tuesday

    The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions will on Tuesday submit its report on a petition against the nomination of former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, stated this while fielding questions from reporters in Abuja on Monday.

    This came just as the committee turned down the consideration of a petition against Hajia Aisha Abubakar as Sokoto State ministerial nominee.

    Anyanwu told reporters that Senate Ethics committee had concluded its report on the petition against Amaechi’s nomination and will present it to the Senate on Tuesday for consideration.

    He said it is his expectation that the Senate will consider the report on Tuesday and do what it considered to be the right thing.

    Amaechi, who was on the first batch of ministerial nominees, had his screening delayed because of a petition against his nomination by a Port Harcourt based organization known as “The Integrity Group.”

    The group claimed in its voluminous petition that Amaechi mismanaged N70 billion Rivers State funds when was governor of the state.

    Amaechi, however, dismissed the allegation as part of the smear campaign against him.

     

  • Rivers indigenes commend FG for nominating Amaechi

    Rivers indigenes commend FG for nominating Amaechi

    Some Rivers indigenes on Monday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for nominating former governor of the state, Chibuike Amaechi as a minister.

    Mr. Somiari Ogolo, a Port Harcourt based lawyer told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that Amaechi was competent to serve as a minister.

    “ Amaechi worked hard and played a key role in the development of the state, “ he said.

    Ogolo said the former governor’s impressive record of performance was still fresh in the minds of Rivers people and Nigeria.

    “Amaechi’s nomination as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the President is a welcome decision because of his rich experience and performance public service.

    “I can say that quality development will be visible in any ministry that he will oversee,” he said.

    Ogolo said those opposing the Amaechi`s ministerial nomination were enemies of Rivers state.

    Mr. Christian Don-Pedro, a former councillor, Ward 16, in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state, said the people of the Niger Delta would benefit from Amaechi’s appointment as minister.

    Don-Pedro said the former governor was very worried that the oil-rich region did not witness any major development under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “Amaechi will definitely attract substantial development to the Niger Delta as a Minister under President Buhari,” he said.

    Mr. Charles Jaja, a Port Harcourt-based human rights activist, said majority of Rivers people were happy with the nomination of Amaechi as minister.

    “So many Rivers people are comfortable the former governor is nominated to be minister.

    “He is a Rivers man that will make the state proud again in any responsibility that will be given to him,” he said.

    Mr. Gordon George, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, said the people of Niger Delta would no longer wail again with Amaechi as a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    George said the former governor was an invaluable asset to the oil-rich region and Nigeria that would bring to bear, his courageous and aggressive hunger for development.

     

  • Senate summons Customs’ CG over rice importation

    Senate summons Customs’ CG over rice importation

    THE Senate has summoned the Nigeria Customs Service Comptroller-General, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), to appear and brief it on issues surrounding the removal of rice from the import restriction list.

    It directed that Ali should interact with its Ad hoc Committee on Import Duty Waiver.

    The decision to invite the Customs boss followed a motion by Senator Adamu Aliero (APC- Kebbi Central), which was supported by 32 other senators.

    Moving the motion, Aliero expressed concern about the “unilateral and unexpected’’ decision of the comptroller-general to reopen the country’s land borders to rice importers.

    He said the action would reverse the gains recorded in rice production in the country.

    According to Aliero, the decision would halt the rice revolution and discourage further investment in rice farming and agro-allied industries.

    He added that the decision of the Customs to liberalise the importation of rice to the extent of lifting the ban on land importation of the commodity, would escalate rice smuggling.

    “Nigeria is presently the largest importer of rice in the world,’’ he said, regretting that this was in spite of 15 new rice mills established across the country by private investors between 2010 and 2015.

    The senator said the mills, besides striving to provide the commodity to the people, had provided employment to many Nigerians.

    After a debate on the motion, which many senators supported, the matter was referred to the Committee on Import Duty Waiver.

    President of the Senate Bukola Saraki decried the rate of illegal activities at the nation’s borders.

    He said the motion was timely, given the need to reposition the economy to give investors the confidence to invest in the country.

    The Senate president directed that the committee had two weeks to investigate the matter and submit its report.

    Meanwhile, 10 bills scaled through first reading at yesterday’s plenary.

    They are Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Alteration Bill 2015, Delegated Legislation Bill 2015, National Library Act (Amendment) Bill 2015, Employment Services Bill 2015,

    Others are Local Industry Patronage Bill 2015, National Planning Process Bill 2015 and National Commission for Peace Reconciliation and Mediation Bill.

    Also included are Environmental Managers Registration Council of Nigeria (Establishment, etc) Bill 2015, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2015.