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Tag: Senate

  • Senate begins power sector probe

    Senate begins power sector probe

    The Senate on Friday commenced investigation into alleged unwholesome practices in the power sector.

    The upper chamber inaugurated ad-hoc panel to conduct comprehensive probe of allegations of questionable practices in the sector.

    The panel headed by Senator Abubakar Kyari, (Borno North) is charged with the task of looking into the entire power value chain including generation, transmission and distribution with a view to identifying what the problems in the sector are.

    Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who inaugurated the committee, said the task before the committee is huge

    Saraki frowned at the continued irregular power supply in the country despite the huge investments in the sector.

    Kyari, in his remarks, detailed the nature of the investigation his committee is saddled with.

    He said: “A close look at the entire power value chain (generation, transmission and distribution) calls for review of our policies in order to obtain optimum performances across the board.

    “The abysmal performance of the generation segment is no longer news in view of the current deteriorating power supply which hovers around 4,600MW for a population of over 170million people, despite the huge resources committed into it.

    “This compared with our contemporaries is highly regrettable. No wonder so many companies have relocated from the shores of this nation, due to increasing cost of production.

    “The turnaround maintenance, gas pipeline and vandalisation, just to mention a few are some of the teething problems bedeviling the sector.

    “We must address it now in order to stem this destructive tide. The committee will beam its searchlight in this direction to put things in proper perspectives. ”

    Kyari added: “Having realised that the transmission segment is the major linkage between the generation and distribution fronts, increasing our capacity in this direction is also very necessary, since power produced must be utilised immediately.

    “Deteriorating infrastructures in this segment must be addressed forthwith. The committee attaches great importance to this and would work assiduously in ensuring that all these leakages or slippages in this area are brought to the front burner and dealt with. “

     

     

  • Senate served with order in The Nation‎ editor’s suit

    The National Assembly has been served with the interim order of injunction restraining the Senate from compelling The Nation’s Editor Gbenga Omotoso and a correspondent Imam Bello to appear before its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over a story.

    A proof of service filed by a Federal High Court bailiff, Lambo Moshood, shows that the Senate was served on August 27.

    In an Affidavit of Service which he swore to, the bailiff said a Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly who gave his name as Martins received the processes.

    The bailiff said he met Martins at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arm Zone, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja at about 2.14pm on August 27.

    Among processes served are a copy of the court order, a Motion on Notice, an Originating Motion, Written Addresses and affidavit exhibits.

    Justice Mohammed Yunusa made the order on August 21 following a motion ex-parte moved by the applicants’ lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu.

    Vintage Press Limited (publisher of The Nation), Omotoso and Bello are the applicants, while the National Assembly and the Senate are the respondents.

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

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

    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 order, the judge held, is to remain in force pending the hearing and determination of the applicants’ motion on notice.

     

  • Senate probes Customs, FIRS over ‘illegal’ N567b tax cost

    The Senate yesterday started the investigation of alleged unauthorised expenditure of N567billion by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

    The N567billion is said to be part of tax collected by the NCS and the FIRS from January 2005 to July this year.

    This is contained in a petition by a non-governmental organisation, Legislative Watch, to the Senate.

    Legislative Watch forwarded its petition to Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki who referred it to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

    Part of the documents from the Federal Ministry of Finance presented to the committee by Legislative Watch alleged that the average monthly collection cost of the NCS is N2.5 billion.

    The petitioner alleged that the total amount not remitted by NCS to the Federal Government for 126 months (January 2005 to July 2015) is N315billion.

    The same document indicated that the average monthly cost of collection of the FIRS was put at N2billion which puts the total amount not remitted by FIRS over the same period at N252billion.

    The two amounted ro N567 billion as the cost of collection for both agencies.

    Its Executive Secretar, Ngozi Ihuoma, who defended the petition before the Senate Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition Committee claimed that the amount represented the seven per cent cost of tax collection paid to the NCS and the four per cent paid to the FIRS during the period.

    The petitioner claimed that the two agencies deducted the money from the amounted collected on behalf of the Federal Government without appropriation by the National Assembly contrary to the provisions of the constitution.

    Ihuoma claimed that the action of the agencies’ management contravened Sections 162 (3) and 165 of the constitution.

  • Senate in turmoil over probe of EFCC boss

    Senate in turmoil over probe of EFCC boss

    Senators are restless again, divided by the probe of of an alleged diversion of recovered N1 trillion loot by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde.

    The Senate Committee on Ethics, Priviledges and Public Petitions launched the investigation yesterday when it took evidence from George Uboh, the petitioner, who is said to be on trial for alleged fraud.

    Committee Chairman Samuel Anyanwu walked out the EFCC’s Legal Director, Mr. Chile Okoroma and Mr. Osuakwu Ogbochukwu, Lamorde’s counsel.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Caucus had dissociated itself from the probe, saying it was not aware of any petitiion against the EFCC.

    It insisted that due process was not followed.

    The statement by the PDP caucus was signed by Minority Leader Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, Senator  Emmanuel Bwacha and Senator Philip Aduda.

    Watchers of the development in the Senate are wondering why the ‘probe’ of the EFCC chairman is coming at a time the wife of Senate President Bukola Saraki is undergoing interrogation before the anti-graft agency.

    Supporters of the Senate President have described the invitation and interrogation of Mrs. Toyin Saraki as politically motivated.

    There has been no love lost between Saraki and the party leadership,  following the controversial way Saraki became Senate President.

    He also shunned the request of his party – The All Progressives Congress (APC) – to name principal officers.

    Yesterday members of the Unity Forum  faulted the Lamorde probe.

    The Forum said Lamorde’s invitation was illegal and a breach of the Senate Standing Rules.

    It said that there was no record indicating that Uboh’s petition was presented to the Senate in plenary.

    It asked the Senate leadership to halt the probe.

    In a statement signed by Senator Ahmed Lawan; Senator George Akume; Senator Abu Ibrahim; and  Senator Barnabas Gemade, the group said:

    “The Senate Unity Forum hereby declares that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions probe of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde is illegal and a breach of the Senate Standing Rules.

    “In standard parliamentary practice, a petition is routed through either a Senator or a member of the House of Representatives. Upon receipt of such petition, the representative will inform the presiding officer of the chamber and, thereafter, present the petition in plenary.

    “Upon presentation in plenary, the presiding officer will invite the Senator/Representative to lay the same petition on the Table in the chamber, which automatically becomes a public document.

    “Thereafter, the presiding officer will refer the petition to the appropriate committee for consideration upon which it would be returned to the Senate in plenary.

    “In this regard, nothing of the sort happened. Senate proceeded on recess on August 13 and it is not on record that the petition of Mr. George Uboh, accusing Lamorde of diverting over N1 trillion recovered from some corrupt Nigerians, including the former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, and the former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun was presented to Senate in plenary.”

    The Senate Unity Forum urged the Senate leadership to halt the probe of the EFCC.

    The statement added: “The Senate Unity Forum do support the position earlier  adopted by some of our colleagues that the Lamorde probe should be halted as it did not follow due parliamentary process.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, Rule (1-3 of the Senate Standing Orders specifically spells out how petitions are handled in the parliament.

    Rule 41 (1-3) states: (1) A petition may only be presented to the Senate by a Senator, who shall affix his name at the beginning thereof.

    (2) A Senator presenting a petition shall confine himself to a brief statement of the parties from whom it came, the number of signatures attached to it and the material allegations contained in it and to reading the prayers of such petitions.

    (3) All petitions shall be ordered, without question being put, to lie upon the Table. Such petitions shall be referred to the Public Petitions Committee…

    “It is after these steps have been taken that the presiding officer would refer the petition to the afore-mentioned committee.

    “It should be noted that, in this case, none of the laid-down procedure was followed before Senate Unity Forum read in the newspapers that the Senator Samuel Anywanu-led Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee would, on Wednesday, August 26, today commence a probe the EFCC Chairman.

    “We stand against this probe. It is illegal and unconstitutional because it did not follow our rules.”

    The EFCC said it had no confidence in the committee of the Senate, saying it  lacked objectivity and that it was not likely to get a fair hearing, after a delegation sent to observe the proceedings was walked out by the members of the Committee on the pretext that the Commission had earlier written that it would not be present at the hearing.

    Ugbo was mid-way through his presentation to the Committee when the EFCC delegation led by its Director, Legal and Prosecution, Chile Okoroma, arrived. Okoroma immediately sought to know whether it was the normal procedure for the senate to conduct its hearing with only one of the parties present.

    Dino Melaye, chair of the Senate Committee on Information, who chose to respond on behalf of the Committee, said it was at liberty to adopt any format it deemed fit. They claimed that the Commission was not expected at the hearing, having written to be excused. They proceeded to read the letter from the EFCC, where the Commission asked for another date to be present at the hearing but omitted the portion where the EFCC disclosed that the petitioner is an accused under prosecution by the Commission, on fraud charges.

     Okoroma insisted that it amounted to lack of fair hearing for the proceedings to continue in the absence of the EFCC. Besides, he observe that the documents presented to the Committee by the petitioner were not made available to the Commission. To this extent, he wondered how the Commission was supposed to respond to them.

    Okoroma further noted that the narration by Uboh only contained reference to the EFCC and not Lamorde even though the hearing was advertised as a probe of Lamorde.

    The charade in the Senate is considered a direct threat to the anti-corruption agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. “The so called hearing is a Bukola Saraki /James Ibori agenda to once again destabilise the EFCC. They are trying to take their pound of flesh of the Commission for having the courage to investigate them. The duo orchestrated the removal of pioneer chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu and they believe they can do same to Lamorde”, a source at the senate said, asking not to be identified.

    “This is not surprising as the Chairman of the Ethics Committee; Peter Nwaoboshi is an Ibori sidekick who served as commissioner to the convicted former governor of Delta State. Though a first term senator, he has already earned a reputation as a rabid Saraki acolyte. Nwaoboshi and Melaye were part of the bodyguards of law makers that escorted Toyin Saraki, wife of the senate president, Bukola Saraki, to the EFCC, where she was recently quizzed for corruption offences.

    “In their design to distract the leadership of the EFCC under Lamorde, they found a worthy ally in a suspected fraudster, Uboh who is standing trial before Justice J, Aladetoyinbo of the FCT High Court on three counts of fraud (FRN v George Uboh CR/12/09). He is alleged to have converted properties belonging to the Police Equipment Fund.”

  • N1tr diversion: Senate walks out EFCC officials

    N1tr diversion: Senate walks out EFCC officials

    Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may not have anticipated what befell them in the Senate hearing room on Wednesday.

    The anti-graft officials were summarily walked out of the sitting of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

    The committee is investigating alleged diversion of over N1 trillion by the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde.

    The controversial investigation had started smoothly by 10.45am with the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, hitting the gavel to commence proceedings.

    Anyanwu proceeded to ask Secretary/Clerk of the Committee, Freedom Osolo, to read out petitions before the committee.

    Osolo read a number of petitions including the one written by the Chief Executive Officer of Panic Alert Security Systems (PASS), Dr. George Uboh.

    Anyanwu asked Uboh to affirm that the petition under reference was written by him.

    Uboh answered in the affirmative.

    Before he gave his evidence, Osolo led Uboh on oath.

    Uboh was half way into his evidence in chief when some EFCC officials led by the Director Legal, Mr. Chile Okoroma, walked into the hearing room.

    Among the EFCC officials was also Barrister Osuakwu Ugochukwu who said he was at the hearing to represent the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Lamorde.

    Okoroma sought and was given permission to speak.

    He noted that they (EFCC officials) were taken aback because most of the documents the petitioner referred to were not made available to the commission.

    He also said the documents referred to the EFCC as a body and not to Lamorde as a person.

    Okoroma said the petitioner claimed that the alleged frauds were committed by Lamorde.

    The EFCC directed wanted to know why the committee decided to hear a petitioner with documents that were not made available to the person alleged to have committed the crimes.

    He insisted that the documents should have been made available to the EFCC.

     

  • Alleged N1tr diversion: Senate insists on probe of EFCC

    •No plot against EFCC, says Saraki

    The Senate yesterday said that the investigation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, over alleged diversion of N1 trillion recovered fraud funds would begin as scheduled today.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, stated this in an interview with reporters in Abuja.

    Anyanwu said that the position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate caucus which asked the Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee to drop the investigation of the EFCC boss, said it was irrelevant since the committee is only answerable to the Senate as an institution.

    The panel chairman said that the EFCC is just one out of about 10 petitions the committee planned to investigate.

    He described the statement by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, which claimed that the time was not right for such a high profile investigation to have emanated out of misinformation.

    Anyanwu said that Akpabio, having realised that he misunderstood the thrust of the investigation before he issued the press statement had called to express his sorry.

    The committee, he said, is guided by the Senate Standing Rules and the 1999 Constitution to invite anybody when the matter arises.

    Anyanwu also ruled out the insinuation that the Senate might be on vendetta mission against Lamorde for the investigation of the wife of the Senate President, Toyin Bukola Saraki.

    Asked his reaction as a PDP senator to PDP senate caucus, kicking against Lamorde’s invitation, Anyanwu said: “As the Chairman Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, I am answerable to the Senate in the first instance. Two, this Committee attends to every petition that come from the public.

    “The invitation to the EFCC boss is one of those petitions and the petitioner is going to appear before the Committee. If you look at the press statement by the Minority Leader of the party, Senator Akpabio, it was a misinformation.

    “There was an amendment of a motion at the floor of the Senate where the CBN Governor was to be invited with the EFCC boss regarding money laundering and all that.

    “But we stood it down. So, there was a misinformation. So, he thought that it was the same issue. But this is a petition against the person of the EFCC boss.”

    On whether the misinformation has been sorted with Akpabio said “He (Akpabio) called and he felt sorry about that. It is a press statement he made. So there is no misunderstanding.”

    Asked whether his Committee will go ahead with the probe, he said, “Of course, this is a standing committee of the Senate. It is not only EFCC boss that was invited. There are other petitions and we have invited the petitioners and those that petitioned against.

    “We have FIRS, Comptroller General of Customs that is also coming tomorrow. So, I don’t know why this should be an issue.

    “We are guided by the Senate Standing Rule and the 1999 Constitution to invite anybody when the matter arises.”

    On the statement by EFCC spokesperson who said the Senate did not follow due process in inviting the EFCC Chairman, he said: “No, that is not correct. There are ways petitions can come to the Senate. A petitioner can write straight to the Senate President and the President would minute to the appropriate committee that is involved.”

    On what the committee will do if the EFCC Chairman fails to turn up for the probe, he said, “I cannot conclude now because I’m pre-empting what is not available yet until tomorrow if he doesn’t come.

    “He is not summoned, this is an invitation. There is a difference between summoning and invitation.

    “There is a petition before the Committee and we have just invited the petitioner to come and substantiate his petition before the Committee.

    “It is after the petitioner must have come that we will now invite the person petitioned against.

    “Before we invite anybody, we normally send a copy of the petition to the person that is petitioned against so that the person will have a first-hand information about why he is invited by the Committee. That is what we have done and that is the normal procedure.”

    Asked if the Senate is divided over the investigation, he said, “There is no divided house. It is just a misinformation. At least somebody can be misinformed and when you get the accurate information instead of going back to counter, you will look like a problem. “

    On whether the committee is on a vendetta mission against Lamorde, Anyanwu said: “There are many ways the Senate can operate: At the plenary, committee and the constituency. We are on vacation. A committee like Ethics and Privileges, we have a lot of petitions and now that we are on recess, each member agreed to spend their time to work. And we have to turn in the report of this petitions at the floor of the Senate for the consideration of the entire Senate.

    “We have so many petitions, up to 10 petitions. This is the summary of petitions received so far. That of EFCC is one of them and FIRS and so many of them. There is no situation that because we are on recess we cannot sit.

    “Two, the issue of invitation of Senate President’s wife has nothing to do with our job. It is not on that basis (motion) that we are inviting the EFCC boss.

    “This committee is a fact-finding committee. Our job is: every petition that comes to this committee must be treated.

    “There is one implication. If somebody says there is a petition against the EFCC boss, the person is a Nigerian. He has the right and as long as he will come before the committee to substantiate the petition, we must take it serious.

    “Because if you don’t take it up, what you will hear is that people will say probably we have been settled that is why we didn’t bring up the matter. It’s only a mere allegation. We cannot convict anybody, we are not a law court.”

    Meanwhile Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki , has described a publication that he is behind a smear campaign to discredit the EFCC boss as totally false and unfounded.

    A statement by his Special Assistant, Mr. Bamikole Omisore entitled: “I have no plot against EFCC” said that the publication is part of calculated attempt to damage the image of the Senate President.

    The statement reads in part, “The attention of the media office of the President of the Senate, Sen. Abubakar  Bukola Saraki has been drawn to a publication alleging that the Senate President hired one Uboh to smear the integrity of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

    “It is pertinent and with all sense of responsibility and commitment to state unequivocally that the story is far from the truth. A fabricated story that cannot sell to dent the image of Senator Saraki.

    “The general public is fully aware that the said online platform which published the false story has been an agent of media attack on the person of the Senate President and that all allegations made by the online platform against him have fallen flat on their face as bare lies, concocted with malicious intention.

    “To set the record straight, nobody can rightfully claim that Senator Saraki engaged the services of the petitioner or any other person for that matter.

    “There are about four different petitions from individuals, groups and corporate organisations written against the EFCC and submitted to the Senate.

    “Most of these petitions are dated 27/07/2015 and 31/07/2015 while some bother on issues between 2013, 2014 and 2015.

    “There are petitions that are directly written and received by the Senate while in some, the petition was written to the President and the Senate was copied.

    “Further to the above, EFCC is not the only government agency that has petition against it pending before the Senate.

    “There are pending petitions against the CG Custom, FIRS and NPA, amongst others. Is it also Senator Saraki that hired or engaged people to do this? What evidence does Sahara reporters have that links Senator Saraki to all these petitions before the Senate?

    “The Senate President has no relationship whatsoever with Mr Uboh in any capacity or in the course of his emergence as Senate President. If anybody has any proof of a relationship between Senator Saraki and the said Mr. Uboh, let him or her say it now.

    “Our Investigation showed that Uboh’s petition has been in public domain since 2013 and that the details have been reported in national newspapers as well as cited in court proceedings. The Senate President could not have said to have hired any one to write a petition for him as he has no issue to sort out with any individual, group of people or an organisation.

    “Therefore, any insinuation that Senator Saraki is attempting to prevent EFCC from carrying out its constitutional responsibility is a hoax and an imagination of the writer.

    “Let it be known that the idea of people using the media to intimidate or blackmail the Senate to prevent it from performing its constitutional and legislative duties will be resisted and as such, meet stiff opposition expressed through lawful means. Senator Saraki is not the same as the Senate or National Assembly as an institution.

    “Imputing sentiment into the legitimate working of any government institution would not augur well for our development and democratic process”.

    Also speaking on the insinuation, Senator Ighoyota Amori (Delta Central) said that the Senate is acting on its constitutional capacity to probe any issue.

    Amori said: “They are unrelated.  The senate acted within their constitutional function. It has nothing to do with Saraki wife invitation (an exercise that was politically motivated). I belong to the PDP caucus in the senate and our position is that since that invitation failed to sail through in the floor earlier the committee should apply caution and suspend the invitation for now.”

    Senator Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South) said: “That insinuation of a vendetta is laughable. Is it a Senator that wrote the Petition? Or are you expecting the Senate not to investigate such serious allegation? My brother every Nigerians has right to write to the Senate and all issues will be taken very serious without bias by this 8th Senate.

    “We have keyed in totally to the anti corruption fight as being led by PMB. The parties involve just need to proof their facts and the Senate will make appropriate recommendations to be executed or not by the Executive.”

     

     

  • Senate praises NERC for appropriate billing

    Senate praises NERC for appropriate billing

    The Senate yesterday  commended the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for being responsive to the yearnings of the people.

    Chairman, Senate Adhoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, in a statement in Abuja, stated that NERC’s intervention and directive to electricity distribution companies (Discos) to restructure fixed charges, discontinue estimated billing and bulk metering of consumers showed that the commission could be relied upon to save electricity consumers from the excesses of the service providers.

    While describing the steps taken so far by NERC in response to Senate’s resolution on the issue of fixed charges as pro-people, Melaye said the commission has shown that it is a responsible regulatory body.

    The Senate had, shortly before going on its six weeks recess, called on NERC to immediately ensure that Discos discontinue the fixed monthly charges on electricity following a motion on the issue by Senators Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North) and David Umaru (Niger East).

    Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NERC, Sam Amadi, in response to the issue of fixed charges, said though the practice is legal, the Commission intervened to prevent its abuse and ensure that customers are not forced to pay for what they did not consume.

    The Commission agreed with the Senate’s position on the need to eliminate the practice of bulk billing of residential customers and replace the practice with individual metering and billing while urging Nigerians to reject the practice forthwith.

  • Senate to introduce e-legislation to enhance debates -Ndume

    The Senate Leader, Sen. Ali Dume, said on Sunday that the senate would introduce e-legislation to engender “robust and effective debates’’ at the National Assembly.

    Ndume told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that electronic legislation was part of the initiative of the new leadership to make the National Assembly more vibrant.

    “We are trying to make this National Assembly different from the previous assemblies by introducing reforms and accountable leadership.”

    He said that the present senate had unfolded some legislative agenda at the beginning to set out its goals and objectives.

    “We started by unfolding a legislative agenda, which clearly spelt out what Nigerians should expect from us, the essence is to make the National Assembly more vibrant.

    “This time around, we are going to have a more proactive and more vibrant senate and House of Representatives.”

    He said that the reforms had started yielding dividends as the pattern of debates on the floor of the senate had changed for the better.

    “If you have followed our recent debates in the senate for example, you will notice a remarkable difference from the past.

    “The procedure of our debate has changed unlike in the previous senate when debates were just anyhow; the discussions have been restructured to keep Nigerians keeping abreast.

    “By the time a debate is going on you as a Nigerian will be able to follow and even take side.”

    Ndume said that the senate had started using e-mails to send order paper of the senate to senators.

    “In the past, senators only got ideas of the day’s legislative business when they picked the order paper at the chamber.

    “This makes it difficult for them to contribute effectively in the debate on the floor.

    “But we changed that now, we have started sending the order paper to senators, using their e-mail addresses and this is done early enough to prepare them for active debate.”

    Ndume expressed regret that majority of the senators had not yet acquired literacy in ICT, saying that this handicap would hinder the efficiency of the system.

    “We are facing some hitches in this direction as some senators are not ICT compliant. But we will move on as time goes by.”

    Ndume said, however, that the order paper was being delivered manually to senators who were yet to be ICT literate, pending when things would change for the better.

    “Every evening, senators receive the order paper for the next day’s sitting either through e-mail or manually and get prepared.

    “Each senator will be able to prepare and organise himself for the debate if he is interested.

    “We have also created platforms for senators interested in contributing to debates to signify their interest online to the senate president.”

  • Senate crisis: Saraki’s loyalists beg Buhari

    Senate crisis: Saraki’s loyalists beg Buhari

    •Ndume, Gaya, Aliero lead emissary

    •Dogara’s compliance with party’s directive puts Senate President under pressure

    Some loyalists of Senate President  Bukola Saraki are beating a retreat in the lingering cold war with the All Progressives Congress (APC)   hierarchy  over the leadership  crisis  in the Red Chambers.

    They  have already  reached out to President Muhammadu Buhari for the purpose of reconciling with him and, by extension, the party leadership.

    It was learnt that members of the peace team  are also likely to meet with a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    However,the Saraki loyalists were said to have left  the first meeting with  Buhari “uncomfortable” on account of his  body language.

    Saraki and his loyalists  had defied the party by rejecting  its candidates for principal positions in the Senate.

    They shunned the June 9 meeting  convened by the APC to resolve the matter and teamed up with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to elect their own candidates including Saraki as Senate President and PDP’s  Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy.

    It was gathered that House of Representtives Speaker Yakubu Dogara’s compliance with the APC’s directive on the choice of principal officers in the House  was largely responsible for the change of heart  by Saraki and his supporters having being put  under pressure by Dogara’s move.

    It was gathered that  the  Buhari/ Saraki’s  loyalists and strategists  meeting  took place at the Presidential Villa a few days ago.

    It was  shielded  from  reporters for  what a source described as “avoiding media backlash on the fresh peace process.”

    The  “peace team” ,according to sources,was led by  Senate Leader  Ali Ndume.

    Among those who  accompanied  him were Senators Adamu Aliero, Danjuma Goje, Kabiru Gaya and Abdullahi Adamu.

    Two of the Senators  admitted last night  that they were at the meeting.

    The  others could not be reached.

    Investigation revealed that the Senators were disturbed that all is not well between the Senate and the Presidency.

    The mild drama at the Abuja Eid  ground during the last Eid-el-Fitr festival when the President and Saraki barely exchanged greetings  was said to have made the “peace session” inevitable.

    Besides, the President is said to have  refused  to meet and discuss policy issues with Saraki,causing more anxiety for  loyalists of the Senate President.

    A reliable source: “These Senators, comprising mainly of some former governors came to explore peace between the Presidency and the Senate.

    “Obviously, the Senators were subtly running an errand for Saraki. I think their trip was a consequence of the Abdulsalami  Peace Committee’s meeting with Saraki.”

    One of those at the meeting with Buhari said: “It was actually a family affair thing. When you see a threat looming, you do not need to wait till it becomes a bigger challenge.

    “We are doing everything to reconcile the President and the Senate President and other stakeholders in APC to move forward.

    “We want to see that everything goes on well. Whatever is the problem, we are going to sort it out.

    “There is no point pretending. The President and some APC leaders have been unhappy with the Senate President. We cannot allow the crisis of confidence to fester. This is why we decided to intervene.”

    Another source on the trip said: “Yes, the President gave us audience in spite of the fact that he was not too happy with some of us on the roles we played. But I commend his magnanimity.

    “We explained the situation of things to him and why he should forgive and forget whatever went wrong. We know what to do in the spirit of reconciliation to accommodate the Ahmed Lawan group.”

    Asked  about  the countenance of the President after the session, the source added: “Uncomfortable but hope is not lost. I won’t tell you what the President said at the meeting.

    “I think the President’s grouse was that the party’s directive was ignored despite his appeal that Senators should respect party supremacy. He does not hate Saraki.”

    It was gathered  last night that some Senators had been approaching a national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for reconciliation on the Senate crisis.

    It was learnt that Senate Leader  Ndume is also coordinating the “reach-out- to-all initiative.”

    There were strong indications last night that Ndume might have made some shuttles to Lagos to meet with Tinubu and some APC leaders.

    The overtures could not be independently confirmed from Ndume as at the time of filing this report.

    A respected APC top shot said: “I think it is  a jealously guarded script being driven by Ndume.

    “The reality is that Dogara’s deference to party’s directive has put pressure on Saraki and the APC caucus in the Senate.

    “While Dogara opted to be his own man at the last minute, Saraki’s loyalists stuck to their script which has put the Senate on the edge and created mutual distrust between the President and the Senate President.”

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on June 23 letter wrote Saraki on the party’s position on the sharing of principal offices in the Senate.

    The letter, referenced APC/NHDQ/NAM/01/015/05, said: “Please find below for your necessary action names of principal officers approved by the party after excessive consultations for the 8th Senate as follows: Sen. Ahmed Lawan (Majority Leader)—North-East; Prof. Sola Adeyeye (Chief Whip)—South-West; Sen. George Akume (Deputy Majority Leader) —North-Central; and Sen. Abu Ibrahim (Deputy Chief Whip) —North-West.”

    But Saraki said it was impossible to comply with the directive of the party because the principal officers had already been selected before the letter was received.

    A source in Lawan’s camp said: “We were aware of the meeting between the President and the affected Senators. They said they are after peace, but without putting options on the table.”

    Saraki himself is confident that the Senate will bounce back after what he calls some distractions.

    The Senate President in a tweet yesterday said: “Although the 8th Senate has had some distractions,we have hit the ground running.

    “When we return, Nigerians can expect more oversight actions.”

     

  • Court bars Senate from compelling The Nation’s appearance over report

    Court bars Senate from compelling The Nation’s appearance over report

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday granted an interim injunction restraining the National Assembly from compelling The Nation’s editor, Gbenga Omotoso, and a correspondent, Imam Bello, to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over a story.

    Justice Mohammed Yunusa made the order following a motion ex-parte moved by the applicants’ lawyer, Mr Wahab Shittu.

    Vintage Press Limited (publisher of The Nation), Omotoso and Bello are the applicants, while the National Assembly and the Senate are the respondents.

    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’.

    The report says that 22 Northern senators elected on the All Progressives Party (APC) platform have been identified as “teaming up with the opposition to work against President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party”.

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

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

    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 order, the judge held, is to remain in force pending the hearing and determination of the applicants’ motion on notice.

    Shittu, in a supporting affidavit to the motion ex-parte, said unless the respondents were restrained, there is a great likelyhood of the breach or threatened breach of the applicants’ fundamental rights to receive and impart information as guaranteed by the Constitution.

    The applicants said the content of the publication has not been disputed or challenged, nor has the National Assembly issued a rejoinder to the story or made a formal complaint over the publication.

    According to them, the laws of libel and slander are available to anyone who feels aggrieved by any offensive publication, an option that is also available to the Senate.

    Shittu said rather than react to the story or deny it, the Senate wrote to the applicants, directing them to compulsorily appear before the committee or risk being arrested.

    The lawyer said the applicants are seeking to enforce their fundamental human rights to personal liberty and freedom of expression.

    He said the story, which is of national interest, was published based on “anonymous but informed sources” who cannot be disclosed to anyone in line with the ethics of journalism.

    Shittu said the Senate was trying to compel the applicants to explain the source of the story, threatening to violate their right by arresting Omotoso and Bello should they fail to show up before its committee.

    “The rights of the applicants to freedom of expression and the press guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution is about to be infringed upon except your Lordship interferes quickly before one of the country’s leading newspapers is brought to ridicule.

    “If they (respondents) have any cause to challenge the story, they can go to court and sue for libel. They also have a right to publish a rejoinder. Unless your Lordship restrains them, they will issue a Bench warrant and our clients will be embarrassed beyond repair.

    “We urge your Lordship to grant the reliefs in the interim so that they will not foist a fait accompli (state of helplessness) on the honourable court,” Shittu said.

    Besides, the lawyer said the Senate cannot compel the applicants to appear before it under Section 39 because the applicants are not a government agency, but members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm whose functions are guaranteed by the Constitution.

    “Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution does not derogate from the rights guaranteed to the applicants under Section 39. The invitation is intended to prevent the applicants from discharging their duties in the ordinary course of business,” Shittu said.

    After listening to the submissions, Justice Yunusa held: “I have considered the processes filed and the constitutional provisions relied on. I hold the view that the application has merit and is hereby granted.”

    The judge adjourned to August 28 for report of compliance.