The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Senate

  • Senate funeral committee for Ewherido

    The Senate yesterday set up a nine-man burial committee for the late Senator Pius Akpor Ewherido.

    Senate President David Mark constituted the committee shortly before the Senate adjourned plenary in honour of the late Senator.

    The Committee, to be headed by Senate Services Committee Chairman, Suleiman Adokwe has Senators James Manager, Ifeanyi Okowa, Olusola Adeyeye, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Ita Enang, Esther Nenadi Usman, Gyang Pwajok and Joshua Lidani as members.

    Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba moved a motion that the Senate adjourned plenary “in honour of our fallen colleague.”

    Minority Leader George Akume seconded the motion.

    Ndoma-Egba also moved a motion to postpone the debate on constitution review till next Tuesday.

    All the motions were unanimously adopted.

    Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Health Margery Chuba Okadigbo and Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters Senator Joy Emodi regretted the sudden death of the Delta Central Senatorial District lawmaker.

  • Senate, Presidency on war path over budget

    Senate, Presidency on war path over budget

    …Warns Okonjo-Iweala over ‘incisive comments’

    The Senate and Presidency may be on war path as the upper chamber on Tuesday pushed consideration of the 2013 budget amendment to October.

    The upper chamber also warned the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Nogozi Okonjo-Iweala, against making unguarded comments that tends to pitch it with the Executive arm of government.

    Okonjo-Iweala was reported to have warned that the country’s economy would shut down in September if the National Assembly failed to consider and approve the 2013 budget amendment.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said at a press conference in Abuja that the Senate will only consider the proposed amendment after its annual vacation.

    The Senate annual vacation begins an eight-week annual vacation on August 2 and ends on September 30, according to Senate’s amended legislative calendar.

    Abaribe said that Senators were at a loss when they read comments attributed to Okonjo-Iweala that the inaction of the National Assembly on the 2013 amendment budget will cripple the national economy.

    Okonjo-Iweala’s comments, he said, did not go down well with the Senate.

    He said that the Senate does not expect any minister or an appointee of the President to make comments which could set the Executive and the Legislature on a collision path.

    He said the implication of the minister’s comment is that the two arms of government are on a collision course.

    President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to send the 2014 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly in September.

    If the 2013 amendment budget which Abaribe described as “humongous” is not considered before the end of September, it means that the National Assembly will have two sets of budgets to consider and approve.

    Abaribe said, “Let me say that we were very perplexed when we read comments allegedly made by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy with respect to the budget.

    “First of all, the Senate does not view the comments made kindly.

    “The feeling of the Senate and indeed the National Assembly is that we do not expect ministers of the Federal Republic and appointees of Mr. President to make comments that tend to give the impression of a collision course between the Executive and the Legislature because we are all working towards the same purpose and our purpose is to make sure that we take care of the welfare of Nigerians.”

     

  • Senate to suspend plenary today for Ewherido

    Senate to suspend plenary today for Ewherido

    •Mark, Uduaghan visit senator’s family

    The Senate will today suspend plenary session as a mark of respect for the late Senator Pius Akpo Ewherido who died on Sunday.

    A statement by the Special Adviser, Media to the Senate President, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that Mark stated this when he led Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and other Senators to the late Ewherido’s home in Asokoro, Abuja.

    “In line with our tradition and as a mark of respect for our departed colleague, the Senate will suspend plenary tomorrow (Tuesday).

    “We share in your bereavement, pains and sorrows at this moment of grief,” Mark told Ewherido’s wife, Doye.

    He urged the members of the Ewherido’s family to continue to have faith in God, noting that death always subjects man’s faith in God to test.

    He said: “As Catholics, it is easy to say the Creed that I believe in God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. But when death comes, we question God. This is the time to increase our faith in God.

    “If there was anything we could have done to save the life of our distinguished colleague, we would have done it but the Lord owns his life.”

    Also extolling the virtues of the late Ewherido, Uduaghan described the late Senator as “a strong voice from Delta.

    Uduaghan said the late lawmaker was an experienced lawmaker, having been a deputy speaker and later an Acting Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.

    He said, “In the last two years, he has brought his experience to bear on the floor of the Senate.

    “We have lost a strong voice in Delta.”

    The elder brother of the late Senator, Rev. Fr. Anthony Ewherido, who received the delegation, was quoted to have expressed the family’s gratitude to the President of the Senate, Uduaghan and senators across party lines “for standing by us as this means so much to us.

    He said: “He was your distinguished colleague. I have always been proud of him but am more proud of him in death.”

    Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said that he received with great pain and shock the news of the death of Ewherido

    Ndoma-Egba said: “Senator Ewherido was the quintessential legislator, cerebral, insightful, clear in language and thought.

    “He had the courage of his convictions and had an excellent grasp of legislative practice drawing from his experience as speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and natural endowments.

    “Only recently, Catholic Senators met with Catholic Bishops of Nigeria and his characteristic courage and condour questioned doctrinal positions of the church which in his view impaired the faith.

    “He was not one who feared to state his position on any issue and his positions were clear and well thought out.

    “His death, coming just when the Senate is about to start her debate on constitutional amendment, and at the age of 50 years when his life was about to start, is an unspeakable tragedy.

    “We will miss his erudite and depth, his conviviality and his ever-present smile.”

    Other Senators, who joined Mark and Uduaghan on the condolence visit, were Senator James Manager; Senator Ifeanyi Okowa: Senator Ahmed Lawan; Senator Suleiman Adokwe; Senator Emmanuel Paulker; and, Senator Mohammed Magoro.

     

  • Mark: Senate’ll end impunity in pension administration

    •Committee to reconsider stand on new states

    Senate President David Mark has assured Nigerians that the Senate will end the era of impunity and corruption in pension management in the country.

    He said the determination stemmed from a joint resolution of the Senate and the House of Representatives to stop impunity and corruption in the nation’s pension industry.

    Mark spoke at a public hearing on a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Pension Reform Act, 2004 and Re-act the Pension Reform Act 2013 to make provisions for the contributory pension scheme and for connected matters.

    The two-day public hearing ended in Abuja at the weekend.

    Describing the bill as a positive response to the joint resolution of the National Assembly, Mark noted that it showed that the pension industry plays a formidable role in the socio-economic development of the country.

    The industry, he said, guarantees a befitting welfare for senior citizens as well as makes available huge investment funds for the real and capital market sectors.

    The Senate President said this is why it could not be allowed to be mismanaged or abused by operators/administrators.

    Mark noted that the introduction of the bill demonstrates the effectiveness of the Executive arm in its quick response to the cries of pensioners.

    He said the bill would ensure a paradigm shift and overhaul the apex regulatory agency, the PENCOM.

    The Senate President stressed the role of an effective pension administration on the well-being of pensioners is clear.

    Mark said the efforts of those who laboured for the fatherland would always be appreciated through adequate payment of their pensions and gratuities.

    He said: “This is why I, as the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives do urge the Joint Committee to do justice to this bill by making sure the merits of its passage will address the expectations of the ultimate beneficiaries.”

    Also, there were indications yesterday that the Senate Committee on State Creation may reconsider its earlier stand on more states.

    It has given agitators of new states a second chance to correct the anomaly in their requests for new states and re-present their requests to the committee.

    A member of the committee and Senator representing Kaduna South, Nenadi Usman, said those requesting for new states were asked to correct their mistakes and return to the committee.

    In its report, which was presented to the Senate recently by its Chairman, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the committee said none of the requests conformed with the provisions of Section 8(1) of the Constitution, which stipulates that two-thirds of elected representatives of the area requesting for a state must sign the document.

    Usman told leaders and stakeholders of Southern Kaduna, who are requesting for Gurara State, that only 17 of the requests for state were processed by the committee.

    According to her, none of the 17 complied with the provisions of the constitution.

    She said: “At our last meeting, those of us who are from areas requesting states made a case to the committee. We told the committee that as representatives of the people, we should be able to make provisions for state creation and that we be given the chance to correct the errors in the submissions.”

     

  • Senate probes $27m ‘fraud’ in Nigerian Embassy

    Senate probes $27m ‘fraud’ in Nigerian Embassy

    The Senate yesterday began a probe of the alleged sale of some Federal Government’s prime properties in the United States of America valued at $27 million.

    The cash was said to have been embezzled by Nigerian Embassy officials in the US.

    The fund was realised from the sale of “four prime properties in Washington DC and Maryland.”

    The allegations are contained in a petition sent to Senate President David Mark by Daniel Elombah on behalf of Transform Nigeria Citizen Initiative, a non-government organisation (NGO).

    Mark directed his Chief of Staff, Senator Anthony Manzo, to refer the petition to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Matthew Nwagwu, for action.

    Nwagwu, who opened the investigation of the matter yesterday, invited Dr. George Obiozor, Nigerian Ambassador to the US from 2004 to 2007; Prof. Joy Ogwu, current Nigerian Representative to the United Nations and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, 2006 to 2007 and Ambassador Ade Adefuye, current Nigerian Ambassador to the US, who resumed duty in October 2010 for interaction.

    Before the investigation moved into a closed door session, Nwagwu said there were allegations of embezzlement of funds in Washington, in particular the sale of properties in the US.

    He said it was alleged that the resources were squandered by Nigerian Embassy officials in the US.

    Nwagwu said: “Ours is to give you a chance to address the committee, to tell us what you know about the administration and management of the funds within your tenure from 2004 to date.

    “There is a petition before the committee on the issue. We have the petition and we are taking it on the face value.

    “We are giving this opportunity to the Minister and Ambassador to explain what happened.

    “We are not a court of law and you are not on trial. We just want to keep the record straight.”

    In the letter to Mark, entitled: ‘Petition concerning misappropriation and embezzlement of funds by the Nigerian Ambassador to the United States and others,’ the petitioner requested Mark to investigate what happened to the funds realised from the sale of certain properties of the Nigerian government in the United States between 2004 and 2007.

    It said available records showed that between 2004 and 2007, Nigerian Embassy sold four prime properties of the Nigerian government located in Washington DC and Maryland.

    The Embassy, it said, also began the sale of a fifth property in San Francisco, California.

    It said: “For the sale of those properties, Nigerian government retained the services of ECULAW law firm.

    “Of those sales, Nigeria realised approximately $27 million.

    “Funds realised from these sales, except those set aside as fees, were remitted to the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC.

    “As at June 2007, when the Law firm that advised the Embassy on the sale of the properties met the Embassy officials on the Embassy premises in Washington, all these funds and transactions were duly confirmed.

    “On that occasion, it was also confirmed that the Nigerian Embassy had placed the funds in a special account with M&T Bank in Washington DC.

    “M&T Bank had been the bank the Embassy used for other transactions and had about three accounts with that bank.

    “It was confirmed in clear terms that their bank was holding huge deposits comprising the proceeds of the sale of these properties.

    “This remained the position after Ambassador Obiozor had returned to Nigeria upon completing his service in Washington.

    “Those huge funds were lodged in Washington rather than being remitted to Nigeria.

    “Any honest observer of these events would suppose it would be only a short period of time pending a brief protocol necessary for the remittance of those funds to the Nigerian treasury.

    “However, and surprisingly, the Nigerian Embassy left that money in Washington partly because it yielded substantial monthly interests, which the Embassy officials would never have to account for.

    “The funds remained in those account throughout the tenure of Ambassador Oluwole Rotimi.

    “Then arrived Ambassador Adebowale Adefuye in Washington.

    “When Adefuye got to Washington, the funds were still lodged in the M&T Bank account intact.

    “Between the time Adefuye became the Ambassador until March, 2012, the millions in the account mysteriously disappeared.

    “This became clear when the M&T Bank was forced to close the bank accounts of Nigerian Embassy and terminate all banking relations with the Embassy at the beginning of 2012.

    “In the correspondence between the bank and the Embassy, which were made public, it became clear that the accounts of the Embassy with M7T Bank, including the one containing the proceeds of the sale of the Embassy properties had been drawn down to barely $400,000.”

    The petition claimed that since March 2012, there has not been any explanation of what happened to the millions of dollars realised from the sale of the Embassy properties in the US, which were in the bank account at the time Ambassador Adefuye assumed office.

    He said it was time to focus on the truth about the missing money.

    He noted that the least the government should do is to come out and explain to Nigerians what happened to the funds.

  • Senate okays Kekere-Ekun as Supreme Court Justice

    Senate okays Kekere-Ekun as Supreme Court Justice

    The Senate yesterday confirmed Justice Kudirat M.O. Kekere-Ekun as a justice of the Supreme Court.

    It considered the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters, which screened Justice Kekere-Ekun.

    Before she was unanimously confirmed, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (Oyo South) described her as hard working and articulate, saying her erudite judgments were a source of joy to Nigerians.

    The lawmaker noted that as a lawyer, he had appeared before Justice Kekere-Ekun, who started in private practice.

    Lanlehin said the Screening Committee asked Justice Kekere-Ekun how the judiciary could be improved through the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and she answered correctly being ICT-compliant.

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) senator said there was no doubt that the appointment of Justice Kekere-Ekun as a justice of the Supreme Court would enhance the apex court and the country.

    Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East) noted that Justice Kekere-Ekun attained her position on individual merit.

    He said the National Judicial Council should increase the number of Supreme Court justices to ensure equity in the country.

    Enang insisted that no part of the country should be made to feel that it is not represented.

    Senator Heineken Lokpobiri also raised the issue of equity in the appointment of justices.

    He said in the past, some zones in the country always dominated appointment in the Supreme Court.

    The Bayelsa lawmaker said people of integrity, who could convict their children, should be appointed Supreme Court justices and merit should be the yardstick for appointments.

    Senator Chris Ngige (Anambra Central) described Justice Kekere-Ekun as one of the judges whose judgments always go down well with Nigerians.

    Justice Kekere-Ekun, he said, “is a fit and proper person” to serve as a Supreme Court justice.

    Ngige hailed the Screening Committee for not overemphasising the federal character, saying: “If three justices from Lagos State will give the country justice, so be it.”

    He also said contrary to the picture painted by the committee, the Southeast zone has only two justices in the Supreme Court instead of three as stated by the committee.

    Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said Justice Kekere-Ekun was not appointed because she is a woman.

    He said the female justices of the Supreme Court were appointed on merit.

    Ndoma-Egba hailed Justice Kekere-Ekun for a deserved appointment.

    Senate President David Mark congratulated Justice Kekere-Ekun on her appointment.

    He noted that as testified by senators, Justice Kekere-Ekun’s appointment would enhance the Supreme Court and the country.

    Mark said he believes the country can find other qualified Nigerians in every zone.

    He said efforts should be made to appoint Supreme Court justices from the Northeast zone.

    The Senate also confirmed Captain Fola Akinkuotu as the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

    Mark urged Akinkuotu to go to NCAA “with a clear mind to achieve the purpose for which you are appointed.”

  • Senate confirms Justice Kekere-Ekun as Justice of Supreme Court

    The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of Justice Kudirat M.O. Kekere-Ekun, as a Justice of the Supreme Court.
    This followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters on the screening of the Justice Kekere-Ekun.
    Before she was unanimously confirmed, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (Oyo South) described Kekere-Ekun as hard working and articulate, saying her erudite
    judgments have always been a source of joy to Nigerians.
    The lawmaker noted that as a lawyer, he had appeared before Justice Kekere-Ekun who started as a private legal practitioner.
    Lanlehin noted that in the course of appearing before the screening committee, Justice Kekere-Ekun was asked how the judiciary could be
    improved through the use of ICT, which she answered effectively being herself an ICT compliant.
    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lawmaker said that there was no doubt that the appointment of Kekere-Ekun as a Justice of the Supreme Court
    would be a huge plus to the apex court and the country.
    Senator Ita Enang, (Akwa Ibom North East) in his contribution noted that Justice Kekere-Ekun attained her position on individual merit.
    Enang said that the National Judicial Council should strive to increase the number of Justices of the Supreme Court to ensure equity to all
    sections of the country.
    He insisted that no part of the country should be made to feel that it is not represented.
    Senator Heineken Lokpobiri also raised the issue of equity in appointment of Justices of the Supreme Court.
    Lokpobiri said that in the past some zones of the country always dominated appointment in the Supreme Court.
    The Bayelsa born lawmaker said that people of integrity who would not mind convicting their own children should always be appointed Justices of the
    Supreme Court while merit should always be the yard stick for appointment.

  • Senate confirms Nnamani, Saro Wiwa’s wife for infrastructure commission

    The Senate yesterday confirmed the appointment of former Senate President Ken Nnamani and Aminu Diko as the Chairman and Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission.

    Although the nominees received a smooth confirmation, some of the senators insisted that the Senate should ensure that future nominations complied with the federal character principle.

    Senate Leader Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba said it was important for the Senate to ensure that the federal character principle was adhered to.

    He decried a situation where indigenes of Akwa Ibom State are allegedly neglected in appointments in favour of other people from the Southsouth geo-political zone.

    Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East) noted that Edo State always had the lion’s share of appointments meant for the Southsouth geo-political zone.

    The lawmaker said the trend should be checked to ensure equity and balance in appointments in line with the federal character principle.

    Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) said the Senate should ensure that appointments were not concentrated in one state to the detriment of others.

    Senate President David Mark hailed the Ayogu Eze-led Works Committee for introducing an innovation in the screening of nominees.

    He said lack of infrastructure is worrisome and urged Nnamani and his team to take their functions seriously in the interest of the country.

    Mark also said the issue of zonal representation raised by the senators would be addressed in compliance with the federal character principle.

    Besides Nnamani and Diko, other members of the commission are Mrs. Comfort Saro Wiwa (Rivers State) (Southsouth), Janet Fabisola Adeyemi (Ondo State) (Southwest), Mrs. Yabawa Wabi (Borno State)(Northeast), Musa Elayo (Nasarawa State) (Northcentral) and A.U. Kanu (Abia State)(Southeast).

     

     

  • Senate confirms Nnamani for ICRC

    The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and Barrister Aminu Diko, as Chairman and Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission respectively.

    Though the nominees received a smooth confirmation, some of the senators insisted that the upper chamber should ensure that future nominations complied with the Federal Character principle.

    Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, in his contribution said that it was important for the Senate to ensure that Federal Character Principle was at all times adhered to.

    He criticised a situation where indigenes of Akwa Ibom State are allegedly skipped in favour of other people from the South- south geo-political zone in appointments.

    Senator Ita Enang, (Akwa Ibom North East) noted that Edo State had always had lion share of appointments meant for the zone.

    The lawmaker insisted that the trend should be checked to ensure equity and balance in appointments in line with the Federal Character principle.

  • State of nation address bill unconstitutional – Jonathan

    State of nation address bill unconstitutional – Jonathan

    …Proposes amendment

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday declared the State of the Nation Address bill passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to him for assent as unconstitutional.

    Jonathan said that some clauses of the bill contradict provisions of the Constitution especially Section 67.

    He also said the bill offends that principle of separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution.

    He returned the bill and proposed some amendments to enable him sign the bill.

    The President in a letter read by the Senate President, David Mark, insisted that certain sections of the bill should be altered in line with Constitutional provisions.

    He said that the Constitution has made ample provision for the kind of address the National Assembly wanted in the bill.

    The President said, “I am of the considered opinion that the 1999 Constitution has made ample provision for the kind of address contemplated by this bill.

    ‘It would therefore amount to a duplication to enact legislation on the same subject matter.

    “This is more so as the proposed legislation seeks to circumscribe the President’s discretion regarding whether or not, he should attend the joint meeting of the National Assembly or of any meeting or either of the House of National Assembly; the time to present the address; his determination of which policy of government is of ‘national importance’ for the purpose of an address; in addition to the threat of the use of coercive powers in the event of non compliance.

    “This in my humble view is inconsistent with the doctrine of separation of powers and the letter and spirit of the Constitution.

    He insisted that bringing into force another law on the issue would amount to a duplication of legislation.