Senator Ahmed Lawan has emerged as the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for Senate Presidency.
He emerged along with Senator George Akume as Deputy Senate President at the mock election of the party to choose its candidates, held in Abuja on Sunday following boycott of the exercise by the Senator Bukola Saraki.
The Saraki’s group had on Sunday afternoon signed an agreement with the Lawan’s group to abide by the outcome of the election.
The Saraki group reportedly failed to secure a request to postpone the election.
Tag: Senate
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Senate: APC adopts Lawan, Akume
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Constitution: Senate finally fails to override Presidential veto
The question as to whether the National Assembly will override the veto of former President Goodluck Jonathan on the Fourth Alteration of the 1999 Constitution was laid to rest on Thursday.
The Senate finally failed to override the presidential veto at its last session on Thursday.
The upper chamber which ended the Fourth Session of the Seventh Senate decided to postpone discussion on the matter.
Although “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fourth Alteration) Bill 2015 (SB.547)-Veto override” was listed as the first business of the upper chamber, it was curiously dumped by the Senators.
The item was against the name of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who was chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution review.
Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, moved that the item should be taken in another legislative day.
However, another legislative day for the Senate would be the inauguration of the Eight Senate probably on June 9.
It is not clear why the Senate decided to defer the veto override to another legislative day, but observers were worried that the billions of naira spent to prosecute the constitution amendment would have been a waste of resources.
Former President Jonathan had, while withholding assent to the Constitution amendment Bill, claimed that the National Assembly did not follow laid down constitutional procedures in passing the Bill.
The former President specifically said there was no evidence that the National Assembly complied with the provision of the constitution that the Constitution should be altered by the four-fifth majority.
He said that instead of using four-fifth majority, the National Assembly used two-third majority to alter the Constitution.
The matter went to the Supreme Court which asked parties to the suit to settle out of court.
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Uproar as Senate passes 46 bills without sighting them
There was uproar in the Senate yesterday following the hurried manner the upper chamber passed 46 bills referred to it by the House of Representatives for concurrence.
The controversial passage of the bills is coming a day to the termination of the Seventh Senate.
Some senators did not wait for the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, to conclude his motion for the adoption of the bills before they erupted into opposition.
Those opposed to the wholesome adoption of the bills insisted that they were passed in violation of Order 79 of the Senate Standing Orders 2011 (as amended).
Even after Enang managed to conclude his motion, entitled: “Adoption of a special procedure on Bills transmitted to the Senate from the House of Representatives for concurrence”, Senator George Thompson Sekibo drew the attention of the Senate to provisions of Senate Standing Orders on the procedure for passing bills.
Sekibo cited Orders 79 and 86, which spellsout the stages a Bill must pass to be deemed to have been passed by the Senate.
Order 79(1), for instance, states that “every Bill shall receive three readings previous to its passage, which readings shall be in different days, unless the Senate unanimously directs otherwise——”
Enang noted in his motion, also endorsed by eight other senators, that the legislative time available to the Senate between yesterday and the end of the legislative term on or about June 3 is limited.
He said considering that time and resources had been expended in processing the bills, there was need to pass and forward them for assent.
He added that by mutual consent and legislative reciprocity, “the House of Representatives is adopting same special procedure and passing such Bills passed by the Senate and transmitted to her for concurrence”.
Enang urged the Senate to invoke Order 1(b) of the Senate Standing Orders 2011 as amended to adopt a special procedure on the Bills forwarded for concurrence.
He urged the Senate to suspend Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders and such other Orders, and deem all the Bills as having been passed First, Second and Third Readings on the floor of the Senate and concur to same; all the bills having been re-produced and circulated to all senators.
The senator added “that all the bills afore-named, by this resolution and hereby read, and deemed read a Third time and passed, to be transmitted to the President for assent in accordance with the Acts (Authentication) Act, and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
“That the Votes and Proceedings containing all the bills be produced for adoption, as passed by the House.”
Immediately Enang was done with his motion, murmuring intensified in the Senate chamber.
Sekibo promptly called attention to the flaws of adopting the bills without following parliamentary procedures. Other senators also joined.
As the disorder continued, Senate President David Mark ruled that Enang’s four prayers should be discountenanced.
He said the only prayer should be “whether we concur or not.”
Mark went ahead to put the question and ruled that those in favour that the Senate should concur with what the House did carried the day.
The ruling did not douse tension as some senators were shouting that “the process of passing these bills was fraudulent”.
Others, who favoured what the Senate, did also shouted that “it is all over, it is all over.”
Sensing danger, Mark advised those opposed to the way and manner the Bills were passed to come up with a motion today to state their grouse.
He said: “It is not over. Those opposed to what we did should come up with a substantive motion tomorrow (today) with their names signed.”
One of those opposed to the adoption of the Bills told reporters after plenary: “We don’t know what the bills contain, we don’t have copies of the bills and we have not read the bills. Yet these are Bills, if signed into law, that will be binding on Nigerians, Bills that are meant to shape the lives of Nigerians. If it was a joke, it was a joke taken too far.”
Some of the bills adopted by the upper chamber included:
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Establishment etc) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015(HB.269); Office of the Nigerian Financial Ombudsman Bill, 2015(HB.14); Institute of Chartered Trustees of Nigeria Bill 2015 (HB.19);National Convict and Criminal Records (Registry) Bill, 2015 (HB.57); Community Service Bill, 2015 (HB.29); People’s Bank of Nigeria (Repeal) Bill, 2015 (HB.710); and Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry Act (Repeal) Bill 2015 (HB712).
Others are National Commission for Rehabilitation Act (Repeal) Bill 2015 (HB713); Maintenance Order’s Act (Repeal) Bill 2015 (HB.714), Federal Saving Bank Act (Repeal) Bill 2015 (HB.715); Loan (State Development) Act (Repeal) 2015 (HB.716); Nigerians in Diaspora (Establishment) Commission, 2015 (HB.69); Electronic Transactions Bill 2015 (HB.3); Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria, 2015 (HB.541); and Nigerian Metallurgical Industry Bill, 2014 (HB.689).
Also passed included Federal Audit Commission Bill, 2015 (HB.732); National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB31); Nigerian International Financial Centre (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2015(HB15); Investment and Securities (Amendment) Bill 2015 (HB.7), Nigerians Communications Satellite, Bill 2015 (HB208);Federal Capital Territory Education Resources Centre (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2015 (HB41), Labour Institutions (Establishment etc) Bill, 2015 (HB.99), Witness Protection Programme Bill, 2015 (HB118); Institute of Mediators and Conciliators Bill, 2015 (HB.1), Legal Education Act (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (HB.270) and Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, 2015 (HB.82).
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Senate endorses life jail for rapists
Senate on Wednesday prescribed life imprisonment for rapists and other sexual offenders.
This followed the passage of the Sexual Offences Bill which prescribes life jail for sexual offenders including rape, child sex tourism and people who deliberately infect others with the Human Immuno Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS).
The Bill that was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Chris Anyanwu, is expected to get the concurrence of the House of Representatives on Thursday.
The Bill also prescribed life imprisonment for gang rape and 10 years jail for incest and child pornography respectively or a fine of N2million
Other sexual offences would also attract 14 years jail term.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Umaru Dahiru, in his report said the Bill is meant to redefine and consolidate existing laws on sexual offences.
Senator Anyanwu, however expressed joy over the passage of the Bill which was introduced in Senate in 2013.
According to her, the Sexual Offences Bill “seeks to make a comprehensive legislation on sexual offences by criminalising certain acts such as sexual tourism, child pornograhpy and cultural and religious sexual offences in our criminal jurisprudence.
“The Bill also provides for effective witness protection programme in order to protect victims and witnesses in trial for sexual offences.
“It also provides for compulsory documentation, supervision of sexual offenders and medical treatment for victims which is in line with the global trend and finally, and most importantly, it provides for adequate and stringent punishments to perpetrators.”
In addition, the new sexual offences Bill has criminalized acts of people who deliberately lace drinks with drugs with intent to stupefy and sexually abuse them.
It also frowns at having sexual relations with people with mental disabilities, among others.
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Senate passes 46 bills ‘without sighting them’
There was uproar in the Senate on Wednesday following the hurried manner the upper legislative chamber passed 46 bills referred to it by the House of Representatives for concurrence.
The controversial passage of the bills is coming just a day to the termination of the Seventh Senate.
Some Senators did not wait for the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, to conclude his motion for the adoption of the bills before they erupted into opposition.
Those opposed to the wholesome adoption of the bills insisted that the bills were passed in violation of Order 79 of the Senate Standing Orders 2011 (As amended).
Even after Enang managed to conclude his motion entitled: “Adoption of a Special Procedure on Bills transmitted to the Senate from the House of Representatives for concurrence, Senator George Thompson Sekibo drew attention of the Senate to provisions of Senate Standing Orders on the procedure for passing bills.
Sekibo cited Orders 79 and 86 which spelt out the stages a bill must pass to be deemed to have been passed by the Senate.
Order 79(1) for instance said that “Every bill shall receive three readings previous to its passage, which readings shall be in different days, unless the Senate unanimously directs otherwise. “
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Senate approves Buhari’s request for 15 Special Advisers
Senate on Wednesday approved President Muhammadu Buhari‘s request to appoint 15 special advisers for his administration.
The Senate took the decision after the President’s letter was read out to the lawmakers on Wednesday.
The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, requested that Senate should debate the request at a Committee of the Whole, but Senate President, David Mark, declined the request, saying that was not necessary.
Mark later called for a voice vote to either approve or reject the request and the lawmakers responded by shouting “ayes.”
The President had in a letter, addressed to Mark, Tuesday, said his request was in accordance with the Section 151 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (as amended).
He said, “I write to request for your kind consideration and approval of the distinguished members of the Senate of the Federal Republic to appoint 15 special advisers as prescribed in Section 151(2-3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“While trusting that this exercise will receive the traditional prompt attention of the Senate, please accept, Mr. President, the assurance of my highest consideration.”
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Senate applauds Buhari, Jonathan over peaceful handover
The Senate on Tuesday congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari, his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and former President Goodluck Jonathan over Friday’s successful inauguration of the new administration.
This followed a motion by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and 107 other Senators entitled: “Congratulations to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and others.”
Ndoma-Egba in his lead debate noted the successful handover of government and the inauguration of Buhari as President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his deputy, Prof. Osinbajo, on May 29.
He also noted the successful inauguration of some National Assembly members as governors in their respective states.
He listed the National Assembly members inaugurated as governors to include Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Senator Benedict Ayade (Cross River), Senator Bindo Jibrilla (Adamawa) Senator Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi ) and Hon. Ifeany Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
Ndoma-Egba said the Senate identified with the current government of President Buhari and the state governments under the leadership of “ our colleagues in the National Assembly in their attempts to actualize the legitimate yearnings of our people for a greater country in all spheres of social-political and economic life.”
Senate President, David Mark, who summed contributions by Senators, said the important message is that the country had a smooth and peaceful transition from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to an opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mark noted that for the first time in the political history of the country, the presidential election results were not being contested at any tribunal.
He added, “It is not just enough to congratulate Buhari, we have to congratulate the former President Jonathan who willingly conceded defeat and followed it up with a phone call.
“We should congratulate Buhari, former President and all Nigerians.”
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Buhari seeks Senate approval for 15 Special Advisers
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to grant him the approval to appoint Special Advisers.
Buhari in memo dated June 2, 2015 entitled: “Appointment of Special Advisers” was read by the Senate President, David Mark, on Tuesday.
The President said the request for Senate’s approval to appoint Special Advisers is sequel to the provision of Section 151(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The memo reads, “Pursuant to the provision of Section 151(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which confers on me to appoint Special Advisers to assist me in the performance of my functions, I write to request for your kind consideration and approval of the Distinguished members of the Senate of the Federal Republic to appoint 15 Special Advisers as prescribed in Section 151(2-3)of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Buhari further asked for prompt consideration and approval of the request.
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Senate: Northern minority ethnic coalition backs Lawan/Akume
•Saraki takes campaign to Sokoto, Kebbi
A Coalition of northern minority ethnic groups has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its senators-elect to support the Ahmed Lawan/George Akume ticket for Senate President and Deputy Senate President.
The groups, which met in Kaduna at the weekend, described the campaign of the two senators for the Senate’s seats as the “ticket of minority groups”.
The members said they met to “consider the fate of minorities in the North under the new dispensation” and urged the party to take cognisance of the contributions of the minorities in the three geo-political zones of the North to the electoral successes recorded by the APC.
The participants at the meeting pleaded that minorities should be rewarded “by conceding the Senate Presidency slot to Lawan and Akume”.
A member of the groups said it has“become incumbent on the new administration, the party in power and all senators-elect to support Lawan from the Bade minority ethnic group of the Northeast state of Yobe to become the Senate President and George Akume of the Tiv minority tribe of the Northcentral state of Benue to be the Deputy Senate President”.
According to them, the Lawan/Akume minority ticket for the Senate Presidency race should be considered along the line of the APC presidential ticket of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), which represents the majority tribes of Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba respectively, noting the religious sensitivity of the tickets as well.
The groups said “putting sentiments aside, going by the extant rules of the Senate, the ticket by every right should not be challenged by senators-elect since Lawan shall be the highest ranking APC senator in the Eighth Assembly followed by George Akume who is going to be a third term senator”.
They added: “All APC senators-elect particularly those of the northern ethnic minorities extractions should assists us to actualise the Ahmed Lawan /Akume ticket so that the Northern ethnic minorities will be carried along and shall be compensated for the overwhelming votes they gave to the APC in the 2015 elections.”
According to them, anything short of this Senate Presidency slot will make minority nationalities unable to guarantee their votes for the APC in 2019 elections as they will feel betrayed by the Hausa- Fulani and Yoruba.
They said the governing party should not forget that the last presidential election was about the first time in the nation’s political history that the Hausa-Fulani, the Yoruba and the Northern ethnic minorities came together politically.
“We, therefore, need to sustain this excellent political alliance and not to destroy it through lack of equity and mutual respect of one another,” the groups added.
They said they had mandated a powerful sub-committee to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari, APC National Leaders, especially Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as well as the National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyekun on their request for the “minority ticket to be supported because an ethnic majority may end up being represented in numbers two, three and four political offices at the centre”.
Another aspirant for the Senate Presidency, Senator Bukola Saraki, at the weekend, took his campaign to Sokoto and Kebbi states.
After he visited Governor Atiku Bagudu in Birnin Kebbi, the senator called on the people to support the government “since it is the only one that can change the economic climate of the state”.
Addressing reporters after their closed door meeting, Saraki said his visit to Kebbi was “to felicitate with a good friend and colleague on the successful handover ceremony”.
He urged the people to support the governor to move Kebbi State forward.
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Fuel scarcity: FG, oil marketers resolve conflicts
… –Products lifting to begin within six hours
The Senate on Monday recorded a major breakthrough in its efforts to resolve the lingering fuel scarcity in parts of the country
The upper chamber brokered an agreement between the Federal Government and oil marketers to ensure immediate lifting of available petroleum products by marketers in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar depots.
The Senate had mandated its joint committee on Petroleum Resources (upstream and downstream) to meet with stakeholders including the federal government to find immediate solution to the lingering fuel scarcity in the country.
The resolutions were read by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) Senator Magnus Abe.
Part of the resolutions reached at the well attended meeting included the immediate call off of the strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PNGASSAN).
The resolution said the suspension of the strike was made possible due to the intervention of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Joseph Dawha.
The resolution also mandated the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to give an undertaking to the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Depot Owners Association (DAPPMA) that the work of the committee being headed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) will be concluded.
The committee is charged with the responsibility of verifying the N200 billion MOMAN claimed the government owes its members.
The resolution said if the committee “concludes its verifications of the outstanding claims before the end of the life of this administration, it would be reflected in the handover notes to the new President. “
“If it is not concluded, then, the fact that such a committee was set up and is working, will be reflected in the handover notes and a copy of the letter, conveying the existence of this committee will be sent to MOMAN and DAPPMA and also, a copy will be sent to us in this committee.”
It added that “On the basis of that agreement, MOMAN will offer whatever cooperation that is needed to enable lifting of petroleum products to begin nationwide within six hours.
“MOMAN has also agreed to give a similar undertaking to National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to pay existing transport costs as has been determined by them.
“MOMAN will give a written undertaking to NARTO and a copy will also be sent to this committee.
“NARTO and its affiliates nationwide will commence lifting of petroleum products from available fuel depots within the next six hours.”