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Tag: Senate

  • Senate declines approval for extension of emergency rule

    Senate declines approval for extension of emergency rule

    After over two hours closed door session, the Senate emerged to announce its inability to conclude debate on President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for further extension of emergency rule in three North East states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

    Debate on the Presidential request started on Tuesday with most northern Senators stoutly opposed to any form of extension of State of Emergency in the states already under emergency rule.

    The upper chamber however resolved to continue the discussion on the controversial request on Thursday.

    The lawmakers also resolved to invite the Service Chiefs to appear before the Senate and be part of the discussion.

    Apart from the invitation of Service Chiefs, the Senate mandated the Senate President, David Mark, to contact governors of the affected states for more information and for their input.

    After the closed door session Mark announced that “the Senate in executive session discussed the letter from Mr. President on the extension of the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States. We had a very robust and detailed discussion and we will continue the discussion tomorrow (Thursday).”

    The Senate President asked whether what he said was a true reflection of what transpired in the Executive Session.

    The Senator answered in the affirmative.

    Mark also said “the Senate resolved that we will invite the Service Chiefs to appear before the Senate and be part of our discussion tomorrow (Thursday).”

    He promptly adjourned plenary till Thursday for the continuation of discussion on the Presidential request.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, threw more light on the closed door session.

    Abaribe said the Senate mandated Mark to contact the governors of the affected states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe for more information on the state of emergency.

    Abaribe noted that the Senate met in another closed door session to consider the request of President Jonathan for further extension of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

    He noted that “the discussion was very frank, robust and sometimes very acrimonious.”

    He said the governors of the affected states would be contacted by the Senate President for more information.

     

  • Senate’s debate on emergency rule deadlocked

    Senate’s debate on emergency rule deadlocked

    The Senate on Tuesday created uncertainty over the state of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

    The upper chamber failed to approve President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for further extension of emergency rule in the affected states.

    Senate President, David Mark, announced after over two hours closed door session that debate on Jonathan’s request will continue on Wednesday.

    Mark said: The Senate in a closed session discussed the letter by the President for the extension of state of emergency. We had a very extensive debate on it and we will continue with the debate tomorrow (Wednesday). Is this a true reflection of what happened?”

    The Senators chorused “yes.”

    Jonathan had in a letter entitled: “Re: Extension of the period for the Proclamation of a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States,” and  dated 17th November, 2014 asked the Senate to endorse further extension of the period of emergency rule in the three states.

    The letter reads in part, “May  I respectfully draw your attention to the State of Emergency Proclamation 2013, in respect of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, which was approved by the National Assembly and extended for a further period of six months by the National Assembly as conveyed by  the Clerk of the National Assembly’s letter dated 21st May 2014.

    “By virtue of the provisions of Section 305(6)© of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the Proclamation aforementioned will elapse after a period of six months from the date of approval of the National Assembly except the period is extended by the National Assembly.

    “It is important to state that despite concerted efforts by this administration to stem the tide of terrorism and insurgency in the affected states, the security challenges that necessitated the Proclamation are yet to abate.

    “Consequently, it has become imperative to request the approval of the State for extension of the period for the State of Emergency for a further period of six months.

    “In view of the foregoing, I most respectfully request Distinguished Senators to consider and approve by resolution the extension of the Proclamation of the State of Emergency by further period of six months from the date of expiration of the current period.”

    Before the Senate went into closed session to consider the letter, some Senators attempted to block even the consideration of the letter.

    The Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, had moved that the Senate should resolve into Executive Session to consider the presidential request.

    What followed was a deafening “nay” when Mark put the question.

    Apparently taken aback, Mark explained that all he asked was the approval of the chamber to consider the presidential letter on extension of state of emergency.

    He noted that saying that the letter should not be discussed should be out of the way since the Senate was bound to debate the letter to take a position whether to approve the request or withhold approval.

    Mark noted that it was only during the consideration of the letter that Senators could make their contributions whether to endorse the request or not.

    After his explanation which seemed to have calmed frayed nerves, Mark again put the question for the Senate to consider the letter.

    The mood in the Senate slightly changed as the lawmakers gave their approval that the letter should be considered.

  • Senate passes NFF Bill

    Senate passes NFF Bill

    The Senate on Thursday passed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Bill 2014 in a bid to bring an end to the current crisis rocking football administration in the country.

    The Bill which repealed the Nigeria Football Association Act 2004 was passed after a clause-by-clause consideration by lawmakers.

    Presiding over plenary, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu said the passage of the Bill was a great achievement for football administration in the country.

    Ekweremadu said: “I will like to thank all of us for this milestone. I believe that this helps the development of our football and the entire crisis we’ve had in the past, I believe that this will bring it to an end.

    “There is now seem to be a law that will help to create some sanity in the administration of football and I believe this brings to an end, all confusions and dispute that has tried in the past to mar football administration in Nigeria.

    “I like to congratulate all of us and I do hope that our football administrators will take full advantage of this law to ensure that we advance our football to world standard.

    “So once more, congratulations to all Nigerians and all football lovers across the world.”

    Speaking after the passage of the Bill, Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Adamu Gumba explained that the new law would stop friction in the succession problem as it has fixed a tenure for the NFF executive.

    Gumba said: “It is a Bill that is trying to improve on the Nigerian Football Association Act. It seeks to improve on that particular Act, to make sure that most of the provisions of the law comply with FIFA regulations.

    “We hear FIFA each time it intervenes in Nigeria’s football administration that it is going to sanction national federation.

    “We have received similar threats this year. That happens when some regulations of FIFA seem to be violated by individual federation.

    “In Nigeria, they observed that we were violating these regulations and they threatened to sanction us.

    So this particular Bill is trying to remove those areas, to make sure that our football administrators now try as much as possible to work in accordance with the governing regulations and laws of FIFA.

    “In trying to streamline our activities, to make sure that we work hand in hand because we are recognized and a voluntary member of that particular organization and if we are, then we must have to comply with the regulations governing football worldwide.”

    Gumba further explained that the Bill was handled by the NFA alongside the Senate Committee on Sports, adding that the relevant stakeholders in the football sector made input after looking at the various provisions of the law and agreed with what the Senate proposed.

  • Insurgency: Senate, COAS disagree over journalists’ presence at meeting

    The meeting between members of the Senate Committee on Defence and Chief of Army Staff, Major Gen. Kenneth Minimah, on the increasing spate of insurgency in the Northeast almost ended in a shouting match on Thursday.

    The Army Chief insisted that he will not discuss military operational matters before the press.

    The Committee had invited the Service Chiefs including the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Gen. Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adeola Amosu, to brief its members on the state of affairs in the Northeast with regard to the fight against Boko Haram.

    Others invited to the meeting are the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, and the Director General, Directorate of State Security (DSS) Mr. Ekpeyong Ita.

    However, Minimah, who represented the CDS, was the only service chief that appeared at the parley.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Senator George Thompson Sekibo,  gave the synopsis of the meeting by informing the Army Chief that the agenda of the parley was “very loaded.”

    He noted that while politicians were busy scheming for the 2015 election, insurgents were on the other hand having a field day, especially in the Northeast part of the country.

    He informed the COAS that Nigerians were getting impatient and irritated not only with the military but also with the government and those who represent them at various levels.

    He added, “I believe that we are trying our best ,but is our best the best we can offer? What is happening is becoming increasingly difficult to explain to Nigerians. We want to be told what is happening. The insurgents are having a field day.

    “We are aware that the government is releasing your funds to you because you have not complained. We also approved $1billion for the President to purchase arms and ammunitions to fight Boko Haram. We are aware that your budget is being released to you. If you have difficulties you should tell us.

    “The spate of insurgency, the way and manner the insurgents are taking areas, is getting worrisome. We want to know what is happening. We also want to know the issue of the reported cease fire. We want to know whether there was actually any cease fire.

    “We want to know whether there was a dialogue, the stage of the dialogue if any because few days after the announcement of the cease fire, the insurgents struck and have continued to strike.

    “At the last meeting we were told that the insurgents have captured seven local government areas. The CDS confirmed that and asked that they should be given some time to liberate the captured areas.

    “We want to know where we are. We are approaching election year, are we going to conduct elections in the Northeast under the dire security challenge? These are our concerns and the concerns of Nigerians.”

    Sekibo then asked Minimah to throw light on the issues he highlighted.

    Minimah took a measured breath and said, “I came to interface with the Senate Committee on Defence, can the press leave us.”

    The Army Chief said operational matters are never discussed on the pages of the newspapers.

    Sekibo asked Minimah to “just reassure Nigerians that the military is on top of the security situation in the affected areas.”

    The Army Chief insisted that he would not discuss security matters in the presence of the press.

    A member of the Committee, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, intervened by reminding Minimah that the press is an important stakeholder in the fight against insurgency.

    Ojudu also told him that Nigerians could only get to know how the security agencies were prosecuting the fight against insurgency through the media.

    But Minimah insisted that the journalists should leave the venue of the meeting.

     

  • Senate summons Service Chiefs

    Senate summons Service Chiefs

     The Senate yesterday summoned the Service Chiefs over increasing insurgency in the North. They are to appear today.

    The Service Chief are expected to brief the lawmakers specifically on the state of affairs in the Northeast and the effectiveness of the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

    A senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, added that the security chiefs were also expected to give account of expenditure deployed in the fight against Boko Haram.

    For the meeting are  Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff,  Major General Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff,  Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Adesola Amosu , Inspector General of Police Suleiman Abba, and the Director, Directorate of State Security (DSS), Mr. Ekpeyong Ita.

    Senate President David Mark at the start of plenary yesterday charged the military to declare “total war” on Boko Haram.

    Mark spoke against the backdrop of the attack at the Government Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe State.

    He noted that since it was obvious that Boko Haram had ignored all entreaties for dialogue, the military should flush out the insurgents from the country.

    He described the wanton killing of innocent pupils as crime against the country and insisted that Nigerians must unite to defeat terror in all its ramifications.

    Abba has said the police would recover illegal arms in circulation across the country before the elections in February.

    Abba accused politicians of arming their supporters illegally to perpetrate illegality during elections.

    He urged individuals or groups in possession of such firearms to surrender them to the police or face prosecution when arrested.

    “The mopping up of arms is a continuous exercise. I have directed the Commissioners of Police in all the states to not only ban the possession of illegal weapons, but to also advise members of the public to return those arms to the police”.

    Abba, who spoke during a meeting with senior police officers at the Force Headquarters, Abuja,  said the police would ensure violence-free elections.

    The police boss said only one of the 30 policemen that were missing following the Boko Haram attack on the Mobile Police  Training School in Gwoza, Borno State, a few months ago, had returned and reported at his duty post. The remaining 29 are still unaccounted.

  • Insurgency: Senate summons Service Chiefs

    Insurgency: Senate summons Service Chiefs

    The Senate on Wednesday summoned the Service Chiefs over the increasing activities of insurgents, especially in the northeastern part of the country.

    The Service Chiefs would specifically brief the lawmakers on the state of affairs in the Northeast and the effectiveness of the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

    A Senator, who disclosed this on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said the security chiefs were also expected to give account of security expenditure deployed in the fight against Boko Haram.

    Those invited to Thursday’s meeting  are – the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff,  Major General Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff,  Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin , Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu , the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, and the Director, State Security Services, Mr. Ekpeyong Nsah.

    Senate President, David Mark, had at the start of plenary on Wednesday charged the military to declare total war on Boko Haram.

    Mark spoke against the backdrop of the attack at the Government Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe State.

    He noted that since it was obvious that Boko Haram has ignored all entreaties for dialogue, the military should deploy all arsenals available to it to flush out the insurgents from the country.

    He described the wanton killing of innocent students as most crime against the country and insisted that Nigerians must unite to defeat terror in all its ramifications.

     

  • Why I’m contesting for Senate, by Bayewu

    Why I’m contesting for Senate, by Bayewu

    Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Kamal Ayinde Bayewu has said he joined the race for the Lagos West Senatorial ticket to ensure quality and effective representation of the zone at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.

    Bayewu made his ambition known while he commissioned some projects in Ajeromi /Ifelodun Local Government. He was the immediate past chairman of the council.

    He promised that if he wins the primary and gets elected into the Senate, he will give social welfare for the aged utmost priority as he did when he was at the helm of affairs in local government.

    He said: “I want the social grant for the senior citizens which I initiated in our local government to become a national issue. They must be taken care of. They have served the nation and the nation must pay them back.”

    Bayewu also promised to draw the attention of the central government to abandoned federal roads that are in state of disrepair in Lagos. According to him, the traffic grid is high on Lagos roads because of the port which is the second highest income earner for the Federal Government while nothing is accrued to Lagos State government.

    The aspirant lamented over lack of developmental programme for the youths. He said there must be a deliberate action towards galvanising them for leadership role in future. There must be a succession plan that will be able to take care of youths coming behind us, he said.

    The projects commissioned include Ajegunle Primary Health Centre named after a political leader in the area Chief Dele Fayemi, Olodi-Apapa Primary School and Cemetery road. He announced the naming of the Local Government secretariat after Prince Rabiu Oluwa, a leader of the APC  in the zone.

    He enjoined the people to exercise their franchise wisely in the next year’s general election. He warned them against the desperation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in getting their votes. He recalled that in 2011, the First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan came to Ajegunle to campaign for President Jonathan because of large concentration of Delta people in Ajeromi/Ifelodun. He said all what they promised were never fulfilled.

  • Why I’m contesting for Senate, by Seriki

    Why I’m contesting for Senate, by Seriki

    Former Minister of State for Defence Chief Demola Seriki is contesting for the Senate in the Lagos West District on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). He spoke with Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU and Correspondent MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE on his agenda for his constituency, the succession battle in Lagos State, the agitation for special status for Lagos and the chances of the party at the polls.

    What is your assessment of the political situation in Lagos?

    We are in a political transition and the political weather is picking up right now.

    Why are you aspiring to go to the Senate?

    I have been a member of the APC for more than four years. I was a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) from 1999 to 2000. I joined the People Democratic Party (PDP) in 2000 and left the party in December 2011. However, why am I interested in the Senate? This is the third time I am running for the Senate. I contested with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in 1992. I was then the National Republican Convention (NRC) flag bearer. I ran for the Senate in 2007. Now, this is the third time. Going to the Senate is a life time ambition. Actually, Lagos State is huge in terms of population and in terms of infrastructure. It is also huge in terms of being cosmopolitan. We have more than a 100,000 people coming to Lagos every week and only one person will leave to go and stay in another state or country. When you compare the figure 99,999 to one, the figure is so enormous. As a result, Lagos State requires special treatment and support. Therefore, all the stakeholders must be carried along. This requires an eloquent programme; it requires an outstanding senator. No matter how brilliant a governor might be, without the Federal Government support, he will not achieve much. Babatunde Fashola (BRF) has done well; he rode on the platform of Asiwaju. We call BRF the actualizer. As a result, we need someone who will improve on it. We need someone who will come and become a legacy. At the same time, we need to canvass for a special status for Lagos. We should have a Ministry of Lagos Affairs at the federal level. Look at the small bridge linking Onikan to Victoria Island; it is becoming very weak. It was built over 50 years ago. When it was built population was not this much. There is the need to get an alternative bridge that will be wider and decongest traffic. Why can’t we build a suspension bridge? It will be higher and wider. That will help to control the traffic. Since Asiwaju Tinubu in 1992, no Senator from Lagos has been a member of budget committee. We need somebody who can properly articulate the position of Lagos. That is why I want to run for the Senate.

    You have been associated with Lagos Central for a long time. Why the sudden shift to Lagos West?

    If you go through my life story, I started primary school in Agege. When my father decided to take me to Agege, he built the house there in 1954. You can image if you have a House on Abeokuta Motor Road. There was nobody who had built on the Abeokuta Motor Road at that time before 1960. Anything built on that road before 1960 cannot be a house. I was not born when my father built that house level building. He raised the house after the civil war. We used to go there; it was like our country home because there was no land in Lagos Island. I am a Lagosian; I can claim any town or village in this state. I cannot say because I have been playing politics here or there, I cannot do it the other places. We people of Nigeria must change this understanding. Again, we are not like Ogun State, where an Egba man cannot run in Ijebu and an Ijebu man or woman cannot run in Egba land.  Lagos is cosmopolitan. Look at Ganiyu Solomon, he went to Ikorodu to go and contest election. You cannot fault him because his mother is from there. That is Lagos for you. I am from Agege, I am from Ojokoro, and our family compound is the biggest in Badagry. In fact, I have a choice between Lagos and Badagry. Asiwaju knows very well that I am also from Badagry. Even Lagos East, Isheri, I am connected there. The other time my cousin died Senator Gbenga Ashafa and one of our party men, Alhaji Mutiu Are, were with me in Isheri. We are the real Isheri. If you Google Lagos history, all of us are Awori. The original settlers and the first place of settlement was Isheri, Ago Ijaiye that is our compound. I can run from anywhere I choose to run. I started my politics from Lagos Island because that was where I was residing; it is my official address anywhere I go in the world.

    If you look at states that are very cosmopolitan in the USA, you discover that they flow easily in the political terrain. Lagos is like New York State. That is why you see Robert Kennedy coming from Massachusetts to run in New York as a senator in the 1960s. When he left as the Attorney-General, after his brother’s demise, he was a senator in New York State. In fact he was a sitting senator when he ran for the Presidency in 1967 and he was shot in 1968. Hilary Clinton is another good example.

    You are not the only one in the race. The Deputy Governor is warming up; people are also saying that the governor is interested. What is assurance that you will beat them at the primaries?

    I have consulted Governor Fashola as the number one citizen of our state. We have lots of respect for each other. He is my Aburo, but he is our father in Lagos State today. We have two major fathers in Lagos State, the royal father and the government father. Fashola is the government father; Oba Rilwan Akiolu is the royal father of Lagos. May he live long! I have contacted him. I have consulted Governor Fashola too. I even consulted the deputy governor, but she told me she is in the race too. So be it, the more the merrier. I am quite positive.

    God forbid, if I don’t emerge I’ll still remain a loyal party man. I have the preparedness for the office. I know how Abuja functions very well and I have a network. I know very well God has given me the eloquent courage and I believe with that I have a better chance. I don’t see anybody close to me in terms of networking in Abuja. Those going to Senate today, going by my last count, we have former governors and former ministers. People at that level go there, you only have one deputy governor and he served only one term. It is a level for those who are really nationalistic in their thinking. We need personalities like that from Lagos. Just like the ones we had in New York. People like Robert Kennedy, Hilary Clinton. The United States government bailed out New York City mass transit 30 per cent. Hilary Clinton made it 70 per cent and that is her strongest legacy. That is what I want to achieve for my state. I want to bring urban mass transit here. I want a rail line that will be powered by energy. We must make use of our waterways. We have to generate income from every container that comes into our state. The multinationals are not doing enough for Lagos State. We must get them to do more. This will be done through social responsibility act. From their income, they must have certain percentage for development. It is not something that we have to be appealing; it has to come through act of parliament. When this becomes a law, it is easier to implement. I have been a Minister and this was not by accident. So, I know what it takes to execute budgetary allocation. Many of our infrastructures have been abandoned. Since Lagos ceased to be capital of Nigeria, it has suffered. These are the challenges on ground; we need a Senator who is prepared. We need someone who has the knowledge of the workability of Abuja. And that is where I want to belong.

    Have you consulted your party leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu?

    There is no way I would have taken this decision without consulting him. It’s impossible. I consulted him both here and outside. I was a local government chairman; I started my political career from ward level. Between 1978 and 1979, before I went abroad, I was assistant ward secretary. I was elected to the House of Representatives in 1998. I tried to run for Senate in the AD, myself Biola Johnson, Terry Coker, I was so sure that I will win. But, Asiwaju came back from Ibadan and said gentle men Tokunbo must return to the Senate. But, later two of them became commissioners under me. Biola Johnson and Terry Coker were commissioners. I later became Minister and that is destiny for you. I was a local government chairman on the PDP platform. I was secretary of disciplinary committee of the PDP. I was Vice Chairman Lagos Central. I am sure you are aware of how I managed the congress in our party. When we were having our congress I did everything to rectify where we envisaged problem. So, Asiwaju believes in me; that I will not compromise merit and facts. All things were done in accordance to my conscience.

    What is your advice to the party leadership and aspirants ahead of the primaries?

    This is the first time we will have plethora of candidates collecting forms. Asiwaju has now stepped down a lot of things on the control of party, unlike when it was Action Congress of Nigeria. Now, the party has expanded and lots of interests are involved. We have the likes of Akinwunmi Ambode, Obafemi Hamzat, Leke Pitan, Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Ganiyu Solomon is in the race. The party should toe the line of democracy. People outside perceive us as always imposing, let everybody go and try his best. Whoever can make every effort to outdo the other candidates will emerge. The day Ambode declared was a great day and I was able to witness a lot of things.  The speaker Ikuforiji declared yesterday, it was a great day too. The more the merrier. People should not engage in politics or campaign of abuse or acrimony. That is my own plea to our members. I have managed parties at the local and state levels, so you cannot tell me how parties function. I will not disparage anybody in the race. Ajiboso and others in the race are formidable candidates. I don’t have to disparage. Again, the position of the law is available to me. Of course, it is immoral for a serving Permanent Secretary to be running for public office. I think in a normal society, the first thing is to resign. Where you have a Permanent Secretary throwing money around, where did he get the money from? I think the governor should look into that and call her to order. I don’t think it is proper for the civil service.

    Should the party conduct primaries for the presidential election or go for a consensus candidate?

    I have to be very careful in giving opinion in some areas. All I know is that we have to appear above board. Anything short of that, we are playing into the lion den.

  • Senators, Jonathan face-off deepens

    Senators, Jonathan face-off deepens

    …Senate adjourns till next week

    … May meet Jonathan

    … APC Senators kick

    The face-off between the Peoples Democratic (PDP) Senators and President Goodluck Jonathan over the ward congress of the party deepened on Wednesday.

    Apparently to express their anger, PDP Senators who are in the majority in the upper chamber, forced the adjournment of plenary till November 11.

    The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) kicked and described the sudden adjournment as selfish and uncalled for.

    Signs that the Senate might be adjourned as threatened by PDP Senators on Tuesday emerged early Wednesday when some of them were seen holding group meetings.

    Senate President, David Mark, who presided over the day’s session, merely read a prepared address on his intention to intervene in the crisis rocking the House of Representatives.

    After the short address, Mark informed the Senators that a crucial meeting of the PDP caucus in the Senate would take place immediately after the day’s plenary.

    Thereafter he signaled to the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, to move for adjournment.

    The Senate Leader promptly complied and moved that 12 items on the Order Paper be stood down till another legislative day.

    The PDP Senators quickly move to Room 1 venue of the closed door meeting.

    As the meeting was going on, information filtered that not much might be achieved by the lawmakers.

    After the over one hour meeting, the Senators kept sealed lips, but Ndoma-Egba merely told reporters that the parley was a continuation of the one they held on Tuesday over the party’s ward congress.

    He said, “I am sure that you are aware that the PDP caucus met yesterday (Tuesday) and today (Wednesday) on fundamental issues affecting democracy in Nigeria arising from the ward congress of our party last Saturday.

    “The issue needed to be addressed very urgently by relevant PDP stakeholders in the interest of our democracy.”

  • Boko Haram: Senators contribute N20m for IDPs

    Senators on Tuesday resolved to collectively contribute the sum of N20million to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), especially those in the Northeast and other crisis prone areas in the country.

    The Senate also urged the Federal Government to seek the assistance of international refugee agencies to effectively care for the victims.

    It further called on the Federal, states and local governments to redouble efforts at providing relief materials and basic necessities of life to the affected persons.

    These resolutions followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) on the plight of the IDPs in the Northeast part of the country.

    Ningi in his lead debate decried the pitiable condition of displaced persons in the region.

    He warned that the problem of insurgency is a circle that is capable of revolving round the country if not checked.

    According to him, the whole essence of the motion was to seek attention of the international community and the various tiers government to the inhuman situation displaced people in the Northeast are being subjected to.

    Ningi added that the people of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno are finding it almost impossible to live on a daily basis as a result of Boko Haram attacks.

    He said: “As I speak to you, we have over two million internally displaced persons from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.”

    He informed his colleagues that the IDPs are now taking shelter in camps spread across Bauchi, Jigawa, Benue and Taraba States and also outside Nigeria like Chad, Niger and Cameroon.