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Tag: Senate

Senate warns against recession as oil revenue tumbles

• As 2015 budget passes second reading

The Senate yesterday warned that the Federal Government should tackle the emerging economic recession facing the country with all the seriousness it demands.

The recession, the Senate said, is occasioned by the downward trend in oil revenue.

The warning came as the upper chamber read the 2015 Appropriation Bill for the second time, referring the fiscal policy to its Committees for further legislative actions.

Senators took turns to debate the general principles of the budget, with Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi stating categorically that the Senate is processing a deficit budget.

The All Progressives Party (APC) Ekiti North lawmaker, asked the Senate to demand from the Federal Government how it plans to fund the deficit in the budget.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadeu, who summed up debate on the general principles of the budget, said: “Arising from the debate on the 2015 Appropriation Bill, I am happy that we have woken up to our responsibilities and this is also a wake up call to our nation as we face this challenging times of economic recession and the downward trend in our oil revenue.

“I do believe that this is the time for us as a parliament, to ensure that while considering the appropriation bill for 2015, all the revenue items are captured.

“Our Committee on Finance will help us to do that. We need to ensure that all the revenue items are captured in the budget and determine a pool of resources to implement the budget when passed.

“The federal government should also put up its thinking cap to develop new areas of revenue generation that would help us to drive our economy.

“We have gone through this way before but eventually the oil price improved but unfortunately we did not learn any lesson while we enjoyed the oil boom.

“I hope that this period, we will learn our lesson that will help us to be disciplined in our fiscal management and it is also time for us to also take seriously about our fiscal federalism so that states can develop their initiatives in increasing their revenue that would help them to manage themselves,” adding that we need to reflect as a nation on how to manage our economy and everybody will have to make sacrifices, going forward.

He urged politicians to be mindful of their election expenses, stating that if anybody thinks that he would spend money and would recover it after the election, such would be disappointed because there would be no money to recover.

Ekweremadu, then waxed philosophical, saying,“it may be that God has designed this way for us in order to make progress in terms of fiscal discipline.”

He said the National Assembly is prepared to lead the fight to enthrone fiscal discipline in Nigeria.

January 15, 2015
Senate warns over dwindling oil revenue

… 2015 budget passes second reading

The Senate on Wednesday warned that the Federal Government should tackle the emerging economic recession facing the country with all the seriousness it demands.

The recession, the Senate said, is occasioned by the downward trend in oil revenue.

The warning came as the upper chamber read the 2015 Appropriation Bill for the second time, referring the fiscal policy to its committees for further legislative actions.

Senators took turns to debate the general principles of the budget with Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi stating categorically that the Senate is processing a deficit budget.

The All Progressives Party (APC) Ekiti North lawmaker asked the Senate to demand from the Federal Government how it planned to fund the deficit in the budget.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadeu, who summed up debate on the general principles of the budget said, “Arising from the debate on the 2015 appropriation bill, I am happy that we have woken up to our responsibilities and this is also a wake up call to our nation as we face this challenging times of economic recession and the downward trend in our oil revenue.

“I do believe that this is the time for us as a parliament to ensure that while considering the appropriation bill for 2015, all the revenue items are captured.
“Our committee on finance will help us to do that. We need to ensure that all the revenue items are captured in the budget and determine a pool of resources to implement the budget when passed.

“The federal government should also put up its thinking cap to develop new areas of revenue generation that would help us to drive our economy.

“We have gone through this way before but eventually the oil price improved but unfortunately we did not learn any lesson while we enjoy the oil boom.

“I hope that this period we will learn our lesson that will help us to be disciplined in our fiscal management. It is also time for us to also take seriously our fiscal federalism so that states can develop their initiatives in increasing their revenue that would help them to manage themselves.

“We need to reflect as a nation on how to manage our economy and everybody will have to make sacrifices, going forward.

“For us as politicians, we have to be mindful of our election expenses and we need to do things within the provisions of the electoral act.

“If anybody thinks that he will spend money and would recover them after election, he would be disappointed because there would be no money to recover.”

January 14, 2015
Oil price: Mark wants CBN to work harder

Senate President, David Mark, on Tuesday said the Central Bank of Nigeria should double its efforts in the face of dwindling oil price.

Mark stated this after the confirmation of Mr. Okwu Joseph Nnanna’s appointment as Deputy Governor in the apex bank.

He noted that it is obvious that the CBN would be a key factor in the current economic situation in the country.

The apex bank, he said, should work assiduously “to ensure that we don’t find ourselves in the woods in the face of declining oil price.”

Before the nomination of Nnanna was confirmed, the Senate adopted the report of its committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions which screened him.

Also on Tuesday, the Senate deferred the consideration of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, told the Senate that the revised MTEF was yet to be transmitted to his committee.

Makarfi said that his committee would require some time to work on the fiscal document.

January 13, 2015
2015: Senate insists on free, fair elections

Ahead of the February elections, the Senate on Tuesday said that all hands should be on the deck to ensure free, fair and credible elections in the country.

It also asked Nigerians, especially the political class to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to achieve free, fair, transparent and credible elections without hindrance.

The upper chamber, however, said that it is disturbed and saddened by the war songs emanating from many quarters, particularly from highly placed Nigerians threatening fire and brimstone.

Elections, it said, need not dissolve into theatres of war.

Senate President, David Mark, stated this in his welcome speech to Senators after the Christmas, New Year and Eid-el Maulud break.

The speech marked the beginning of the final lap of the Seventh Senate.

Mark said, “A few weeks from now, Nigerians will once again go to the polls to elect their representatives. The electoral season brings an unusual amount of scrutiny.

“We are in the fevered grip of elections but despite the pregnancy of expectation and the excitement being generated by the elections, we must always stick to the task of delivering democratic dividends to our people. We must not shirk our responsibilities.

“The enthusiasm across the length and breadth of the land for the upcoming elections is proof that Nigerians have imbibed democratic ethos and values.

“Many of us are already on the field seeking the votes of our constituents. Experience has shown that the electioneering period are often difficult times.

“Politicians must desist from provocative and inciting utterances. We may be in different political parties but we are not enemies. We must educate, caution and guide our supporters and followers.

“Election should be an asset to democracy, but where it leads to violence or acrimony, it becomes a liability.”

January 13, 2015
Uncertainty as Senate resumes Tuesday

Uncertainty is hovering over the Senate as the lawmakers resume plenary on Tuesday after their parties’ primary elections.

Although most of the Senators are said to be already in Abuja for the resumption of plenary, the list of activities normally contained in the Order Paper and released ahead of resumption by the Senate Committee on Business and Rules, was unavailable on Monday.

No official reason was given for the non availability of the Order Paper, but a source said the failure of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Business and Rules, Senator Ita Enang, to secure his return ticket to the red chamber in 2015 might have negatively affected his zeal for work.

Besides, the uncertainty about the fate of the Medium Term Expenditure Frame work and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF) and the 2015 Appropriation Bill does not help matter.

The MTEF has been presented to the National Assembly by the Presidency and withdrawn twice due largely to the fluctuating oil price in the international market.

The consideration and passage of the MTEF by the National Assembly is one of the prerequisites for consideration and passage of the Appropriation Bill.
Oil benchmark which was initially fixed at $78pb by the Presidency has been reduced to $65pb.

The Senate will take at least one week to consider and approve the new oil benchmark to pave way for the presentation of the budget by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Besides, the Senate, which is likely to adjourn plenary on December 18 for Christmas break, may not have enough time to conclude discussion on the MTEF.

Observers said the delay in presentation of the 2015 budget would, no doubt, affect its passage with a corresponding adverse effect on the implementation of the fiscal estimates.

Other salient issues waiting for the attention of the Senate as the lawmaker approach the zero hour is the all important Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which has been in the National Assembly since 2007.

Some Senators have reportedly vowed that the PIB will not see the light of the day.

The National Assembly is also said to be waiting to receive the conference report of the recently concluded National Confab.

December 15, 2014
Senate to get Jonathan’s impeachment notice Dec 16

The impeachment plan against President Goodluck Jonathan will be tabled on the floor of the Senate on December 16, a senator said yesterday.

Senator Alkali Jajere (Yobe South) spoke after the Senate adjourned plenary till December 16 to enable lawmakers attend the primaries of their political parties.

The senators backing the plan have listed 14 “impeachable offences” against the President.

But Senator Ayogu Eze said yesterday that Jajere was “day-dreaming” and that the impeachment plan would not see the light of day.

Senator Sahaabi Yau ( Zamfara North) warned that the Senate could ill-afford the distraction associated with impeachment.

Jajere, one of the senators to have endorsed the impeachment notice, is number four on the list of 63 senators supporting the plan.

He said: “I have signed the impeachment notice because there are impeachable offences against President Jonathan.

“You are my colleagues and being a journalist who practised journalism for 27 years, I know these things are not new.

“ In 2011, this Senate approved N240billion as subsidy fund but the same government spent N1.7trn, which is a clear breach of the constitution, clear breach of the Appropriation Act.

“The business of government is to curtail excesses but this government has shown that it is incurably deficient in handling the situations in this country.

“That government cannot say it wants to continue. The President should have even resigned without waiting for him to be impeached.

“The duty of the legislature is to act as a check and balance because it is the most important symbol of democracy.

“If you don’t have the legislature, you don’t have democracy because every other arm of government exists even when there is no democracy. It is only the legislature that makes a democracy, a government.

“As at last week, 63 of us had signed up for the impeachment. My signature was the fourth but I can confirm to you that we have 63 signatures but after the session today (yesterday), two people called me and told me that they want to sign.

“One of them is an APC senator who was away campaigning because he is contesting the governorship election. The other is a PDP senator.

“The impeachment issue is not just coming now. It is also a process that started early in the year but there was a hiccup but today, there are issues that have triggered the National Assembly to do what it should do.

“No matter what the time, it is a three-legged issue. The National Assembly will now have to initiate the process and then, submit that process to the judiciary.

“The judiciary will form a committee through the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN); the National Assembly will carry out the verification of the committee and conclude the remaining process.

“The National Assembly will soon conclude our own side and submit the notice to the judiciary.

“As of today, the required signatures to initiate the impeachment notice had been obtained.

”Senate has adjourned to the 16th. By that date, the impeachment notice will be presented on the floor of the senate.

“Before the end of today, I can assure you that the list will swell up to 70.

“It is on the impeachment day that we need two-third of the members to carry out the exercise, but we need only one-third, which we already have, to initiate the process.

“It is just a matter of one day sitting. We will just push it before the two chambers.

But Ayogu Eze insisted that there was no impeachment notice in the Senate.

The Enugu North lawmaker noted that impeachment of Jonathan was only in the imagination of those who were spreading the story.

Eze said: “There is no impeachment notice in the Senate.

“It is in the imagination of those who are writing about it and we challenge anybody who thinks that he can impeach the President to meet us on the floor.

“We challenge anybody who is interested and who thinks he has the vote to impeach the President to meet us on the floor.

“We don’t want any distraction at this period when the country is going through election and we have serious challenges.

“If it is a joke, it is a joke carried too far. I have been very present in the chamber since I got here in 2007.

“If anything is happening in that chamber, I will know but I can tell you, there is nothing like that (impeachment.)

“What is annoying is that some people sneak around and incite journalists to write falsehood.

“If they are serious, they should bring it to the floor. It is not something that should be reported in the papers alone, they should bring it to the floor; we are waiting.

“They are not more than three or four people going about with the impeachment story.

“To me, Jajere is a story teller. We are waiting for him and his other signatories who are more spirits than human beings in the Senate.

“And let me put it to him and his other signatories that if they think that they can intimidate the President out of power or PDP out of power they are just day dreaming because the man will contest the 2015 elections and, going by realities on the ground, he will win. So the earlier they realise this, the better for them.”

Senator Yau described the planned impeachment as not only a distraction but a waste of resources and energy.

“Maybe some people are doing it underground but nobody has contacted me on the issue.

“For now it is a rumour. The process is cumbersome, even if there is need for that; how are we going to finish it?”

December 3, 2014
Boko Haram tried to capture Yobe Government House – Senate

Senate President, David Mark, on Tuesday raised the alarm over Monday’s failed attempt by Boko Haram insurgents to take over the Yobe State Government House in Damaturu.

Mark spoke when Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North), raised the issue of the daring attempt by Boko Haram insurgents to overrun the Yobe State capital on Monday.

He described as “a new dimension” the attempt by the insurgents to capture Yobe State Government House.

He said, “Ahmed, please you know I agreed with you that you will not raise the matter to a level where it will become controversial.

“Let me just tell you why I allowed you, it is because of the fact that insurgents are attacking left, right, front and back in North East but that of yesterday (Monday) was because they were able to get to the Government House which gave it a new dimension.

“It has nothing to do with state of emergency, please do not make any statement that is controversial.”

Lawan, who came under Order 43 asked for the indulgence of the Senate and the leave of the President of the Senate, to give a detailed account of what happened in Yobe State on Monday.

He said, “I spoke with you (Mark) this morning on the need for me on behalf of my colleagues from Yobe State to make a personal explanation on what happened in Damaturu, Yobe State capital yesterday (Monday).

“Mr. President, I will like to formally inform this Senate that Damaturu was attacked by insurgents from about 5am on Monday and the military or the armed forces, battled the insurgents and controlled the situation.

“So many lives were lost but at this moment, we cannot determine the exact number of the dead people. Several people were also wounded and of course, psychologically, hundreds of thousands of Yobe people and even other Nigerians are traumatized about that incident.

“Mr. President, I want to say this, a war is not won by the name of the operation, a war is won by the operators of the operation that operate in the theatre of war.

“Our soldiers were determined to fight the insurgents. They fought very gallantly and exhibited valour and they did that because they have motivation not because there was any state of emergency existing.

“Mr. President, the significance of what happened in Damaturu yesterday (Monday) should not be lost on us.”

December 2, 2014
Corruption: Senate replies Obasanjo

The Senate yesterday described allegations of corruption levelled against the National Assembly by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as “unfortunate” and a deliberate attempt to denigrate the institution.

The Senate, in a statement by its spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said it was unfortunate that the former President would distort constituency projects as meaning a direct monetary advance to lawmakers and thus amounting to the “promotion of corruption” by the National Assembly.

Abaribe said the most unfortunate in the deliberate diatribe against the National Assembly was ex-President Obasanjo’s allegation that the lawmakers are “siphoning public funds through what they call ‘constituency projects”.

The allegation, according to Abaribe, was spurious because it is very distant from the truth and is nowhere near reality.

He added that if it were so, the former President would not have tolerated such for the period he was the president.

Abaribe said: “President Obasanjo, for the avoidance of doubt, was the initiator of the constituency project in the year 2000 as a means of ensuring that projects were fairly spread across the country using the senatorial zones as the spring board.

“To ensure execution of the projects, President Obasanjo again factored the constituency projects into the annual budgets to be implemented by the executive, depending on availability of funds.

“That is to say that no lawmaker ever comes close to the funds or even determine the contractor for the said projects or when the said contract would be awarded.

“So, it looks curious and surprising that former President Obasanjo would turn around after over 10 years of initiating such a project to allege that the National Assembly is performing the function of both the executive and the parliament.

“Is it not preposterous for anybody to believe that members of the National Assembly would, against the provisions of the Constitution with regards to application of separation of powers, award contracts ‘to their agents to execute’ and expect the Presidency under a President Obasanjo or any other President for that matter to pay for what they are not part of?

“Such allegation stands logic on its head, as it amounts to an indictment of the Presidency for wilfully contravening the budget laws by ceding its power to execute to the National Assembly, if it was the case.”

The Senate, according to the statement challenged the former President to go a step further to furnish Nigerians with details of how the National Assembly members became executors of national budget rather than being law makers.

Abaribe said: “It will also help to clear the allegation once and for all, if any presidency official not only from the time past but currently, could come forward and explain the true position of the so called constituency projects.

“Doing so would at least set the records straight.”

Accordingly, the Senate warned political leaders to be wary of the consequences to the nation’s democracy of dragging the revered institution of lawmaking to public odium just to score some political point.

November 28, 2014
Senate to Obasanjo: Corruption allegation against NASS spurious

The Senate on Thursday described allegation of corruption levelled against the National Assembly by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as unfortunate and a deliberate attempt to denigrate the institution.

The Senate in a statement issued by its spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said it was unfortunate that the former President would distort the issue of constituency projects as meaning a direct monetary advance to lawmakers and thus amounting to the “promotion of corruption” by the National Assembly.

Abaribe said the most unfortunate thing in the deliberate diatribe against the National Assembly, was ex-President Obasanjo’s allegation that the lawmakers are “siphoning public funds through what they call ‘constituency projects.’”

The allegation, according to Abaribe was spurious as it were because it is very distant from the truth and is nowhere near reality.

He added that if it were so, the former President would not have tolerated such for the period he was the President of the country.

Abaribe said: “Ex- President Obasanjo for the avoidance of doubt, was the initiator of the constituency project in the year 2000 as a means of ensuring that projects were fairly spread across the country using the Senatorial zones as the spring board.

“To ensure execution of the projects, Obasanjo again factored the constituency projects into the annual budgets to be implemented by the executive depending on availability of funds.

That is to say that no lawmaker ever comes close to the funds or even determine the contractor for the said projects or when the said contract would be awarded.

“So, it looks curious and surprising that former President Obasanjo would turn around after over 10 years of initiating such a project to allege that the National Assembly is performing the function of both the executive and the parliament.

“Is it not preposterous for anybody to believe that members of the National Assembly would against the provisions of the Constitution with regards to application of separation of powers, award contracts ‘to their agents to execute’ and expect the Presidency under a President Obasanjo or any other President for that matter to pay for what they are not part of?

“Such allegation stands logic on its head, as it amounts to an indictment of the Presidency for wilfully contravening the budget laws by ceding its power to execute to the National Assembly, if it was the case.”

The Senate, according to the statement, challenged the former President to go a step further to furnish Nigerians with details of how the National Assembly members became executors of national budget rather than being law makers.

Abaribe said: “It will also help to clear the allegation once and for all, if any Presidency official not only from the time past but currently, could come forward and explain the true position of the so called constituency projects.

“Doing so would at least set the records straight.”

Accordingly, the Senate warned political leaders to be wary of the consequences to the nation’s democracy of dragging the revered institution of lawmaking to public odium just to score some political points.

November 27, 2014
Senate probes police invasion of National Assembly

Police invasion of the premises of the National Assembly last week came under the scrutiny of the Senate on Wednesday.

Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (Cross River Central) in a motion entitled: “ Breach of security at the National Assembly Complex” moved “that the Senate do consider the breach of security, privilege and sanctity of the premises and precincts of the National Assembly on Thursday, 20th November, 2014 occasioned by the presence of heavy security operatives.”

After about one hour debate of the awful incident, the lawmakers resolved to constitute a seven-member ad-hoc committee to investigate the incident.

Senate President, David Mark, named Senator Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna North) as Chairman of the seven-man ad-hoc committee.

Other members of the committee included Senators Atiku Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi Central), Victor Lar, (Plateau South) Sefui Adegbenga Kaka, (Ogun East) Paulinus Igwe Nwagu (Ebony Central) Mohammed Jibrilla Bindowo (Adamawa Central) and Ehigie Uzamere (Edo South).

Mark ,who said that the incident defied his comprehension, added that in whatever way they decided to condemn what happened, “it is a manifestation of where we found ourselves because what happened is simply beyond my own comprehension.”

He said, “I agree with you that we set up a committee. What happened to us was the sacrifice we have to pay for democracy and the sacrifice we have to make for democracy.

“That was what happened to me. The Speaker is in touch with me and I’m in touch with the Speaker and we have put all that behind us.

“What we want is the strengthening of democracy in this country and whatever price we pay or whatever price we make to strengthen democracy we will do so.

“We are appointing members from this House and we are not bringing anybody from outside and nobody is going to interfere in the work of the committee.

“We want them to be very thorough, we want them to be very sincere and we want them also to bring the report as quickly as possible.”

Ndoma-Egba in his lead debate, said that it is regrettable that the premises of the National Assembly was barricaded while the Senate President, David Mark, Speaker of the

House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, other Senators and members of the House, were prevented from gaining access into the National Assembly.

He added that the Senate President, Speaker of the House, Senators, House members and National Assembly worker s were thoroughly tear-gassed.

The police action, he said, led to the unfortunate situation of some House members scaling the fence.

November 26, 2014