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Tag: Senate

  • Senate: name Ilorin International Airport after Saraki

    Senate: name Ilorin International Airport after Saraki

    •Lawmakers extol late senator’s virtues

     

    THE Senate has eulogised the late Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki. It paid tribute yesterday to the former Senate Leader, who senators agreed was a shining example.

    This followed a motion sponsored by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba and Senator Simeon Ajibola (Kwara South), entitled: “Demise of Senator (Dr.) Olusola Saraki.”

    For about three hours, the lawmakers poured encomiums on the late senator, listing his attributes and contributions to the development of the country.

    Even those in the gallery said it was a honour well deserved.

    Senator Ndoma-Egba recalled that the late Saraki, the Waziri and Turaki of Ilorin, was born on May 17, 1933 in Lagos into the family of Alhaji Mukhtar Mustapha Saraki, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist from Agoro Compound, Agbaji in Ajikobi Ward of Ilorin.

    The Senate Leader said Dr. Saraki attended Eko Boys High School, Lagos, Reverend Lukas College, Lagos, before leaving for England where he qualified as a medical doctor, obtaining MCRs, LRCR and MBBS in 1962.

    According to him, the late Saraki was the first indigene of Ilorin to register as a doctor with the Nigerian Medical Council in 1963.

    Ndoma-Egba said in 1964, Saraki entered politics, contesting for and losing election into the House of Representatives to represent Asa Federal Constituency.

    He said Dr. Saraki was elected into the Constituent Assembly in 1977, which prepared the nation for democratic rule in 1979.

    Said he: “When political parties were formed, preparatory to the return to civil rule, Saraki became a foundation member of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), which won the 1979 General Elections.

    “He was a National Vice- Chairman of the party and contested its primaries for the presidential election, but lost to Alhaji Shehu Shagari.”

    Senator Ndoma-Egba noted that the late Saraki was undeterred by his defeat at the primary election and worked for the success of the party. He was later persuaded to contest for the Ilorin-Asa Senatorial District seat, which he won.

    Senator Smart Adeyemi said the Federal Government should be urged to name the Ilorin International Airport after the late Saraki. The prayer was unanimously adopted.

    Senate President David Mark said the late Saraki touched the lives of many Nigerians.

    He said: “Saraki touched the lives of many people in this country.

    “It shows what will happen if you live a good life, live for the ordinary people.

    “Saraki has lived and died. He is gone, but there are lessons to be learnt from his life. I think that is important.

    “He was compassionate, he was kind, he was with his people, he was God-fearing and he was honest in his dealings with people.

    “All these are good virtues we need to emulate.

    “He lived his life as a detribalised Nigerian.”

     

     

  • Senate honours Saraki

    Senate honours Saraki

    It was a day of eulogy on Tuesday for late Senate Leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki, as the Senate devoted the entire session to pay tribute to a man the lawmakers agreed was a “shining example of everything good.”

    Dr. Saraki, fondly called “Oloye” died on November 14 in Lagos at the age of 79.

    The tribute followed a motion sponsored by Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba and Senator Simeon Ajibola (Kwara South) entitled: “Demise of Senator (Dr.) Olusola Saraki.”

    Senators battled to identify with Saraki even in death.

    Most of the lawmakers struggled to ensure that the eye of the Senate President, David Mark, caught them to speak.

    For about three hours, one Senator after the other reeled out outstanding attributes and contributions of the late Saraki to individuals and political development of the country.

    Even those in the gallery echoed that it is an honour well deserved as the Senate eulogized the late strongman of Kwara politics.

     

     

  • Senate has no hidden agenda on Constitution review – Mark

    Senate has no hidden agenda on Constitution review – Mark

    The Senate President, David Mark, on Thursday in Lagos, assured Nigerians that the Senate has no hidden agenda in the on-going 1999 constitution review sessions.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mark made the declaration at the opening of the senate constitution review session for the South-West zone, at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

    He spoke as the exercise by the senate kicked off in all the six geo-political zones of the country.

    “The senate will consider every view presented at the sessions in the amendment of the constitution.

    “There are so many arguments and we may not take them all in one single sweep. The amendment is a continuous exercise; the National Assembly will revisit the constitution as often as possible when necessary,” Mark said.

    The Senate president urged the participants to make security and development issues their priority during the deliberations.

    “Any amendment that will improve security and bring development closer to the people should be top priority,” he stated.

    The senate president pointed out that requests for Lagos to be granted a special status was not a decision for him alone to take.

    “What matters most is that we need to make our presentations from a patriotic point of view.”

    “The essence of the sessions is to get Nigerians to participate fully in the amendment so that the National Assembly can take out the “military”, for a people’s constitution. “

    In his keynote address, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) sought a special status for the state because of its strategic importance to the nation.

     

  • Senate President battles 400 golfers in CBN Governor’s Cup

    Senate President battles 400 golfers in CBN Governor’s Cup

    SENATE President Senator David Mark would have his hands full come Saturday when he battles with 400 golfers in Abuja and other states of the Federation in a two-day tournament to have a shot at this year’s Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Golf Cup he last won in 2011.

    This sixth edition of the competition would tee off on Saturday and would be rounded off on Sunday at the IBB International Golf and Country Club.

    Director, Corporate Communications Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Ugo Okoroafor who declared that the sponsorship of the CBN Governor’s Golf Cup Tournament has come to stay promised golfers that would compete in the competition a fulfilling tournament.

    “I wish to use this medium to reiterate that the CBN is committed to making positive contributions towards the development of the game of golf as part of the Bank’s corporate social responsibility program,” Okoroafor stated.

    The CBN top official also disclosed that CBN interest is not restricted to golf.

  • Senate probes police alleged arms supply to bandits

    Senate probes police alleged arms supply to bandits

    The Senate on Thursday mandated its joint committee on Police Affairs, Intelligence and National Security to investigate alleged supply of arms and ammunition to armed bandits by serving police officers.

    The upper chamber also asked the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to as a matter of urgency, step up surveillance and effective policing of areas affected by recent armed banditry in Zamfara State.

    This followed the adoption of a motion entitled: “Recent banditry attack on Kabaru village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.”

    The motion sponsored by Senator Marafa Kabiru Garba chronicled armed robbery attacks in various parts of Zamfara State.

    Marafa in his lead debate said that he was alarmed by the armed banditry attack on Kabaru village on October 29.

    The Senator noted that he was further horrified that the attack was carried out by about 60 armed men resulting in the death of 18 villagers including the village head, Alhaji Maiyara.

    According to him, the earlier attack of Guru and Tungar Baure communities in August 2011 resulted in the death of many villagers.

    He recalled that a similar armed banditry attack on Lingyado, Guru and Sammaje villages in September led to mass slaughter of over 25 villagers as well as the reported house to house raid in June of Dangulbi district by armed bandits resulting in the massacre of 27 people.

    He noted that the spate of the attacks apart from resulting in loss of lives have disrupted the economic activities and the livelihood of the communities in the surrounding villages and districts.

    Senator Sahabi Ya’u his contribution noted that what is happening in Zamfara State can only be described as barbaric, inhuman and unfortunate.

    Ya’u said that of more concern to him is the discovery that bandits are getting arms from serving police officers.

    He said, “The other day an armed robber that was caught confirmed that it is a serving police officer that supplied them with arms and ammunitions.

    “To confirm what the armed robber said, a call was made through him (the armed robber) to the said police officer to get some arms to the armed robber.

    “To the surprise of those who were there within minutes the police officer brought arms to the robber.”

     

  • Senate asks CJN to swear in dropped A/ Court nominee

    Senate asks CJN to swear in dropped A/ Court nominee

    The Senate on Wednesday called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Maryam Muktar, to swear in Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo as a judge of the Court of Appeal forthwith.

    Jombo-Ofo was dropped from the list of judges sworn in by the CJN on Monday on the grounds that she was not from Abia State even though she is married to a man from that state.

    The Senate’s resolution followed a motion by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

    He said that Jombo-Ofo was nominated a judge of the Court of Appeal by the National Judicial Council (NJC) having gone through the due process.

    Ekweremadu noted that Muktar, who refused to administer the oath of office on Jombo-Ofo, was the same person who presided over the processes that cleared her.

    He said it was surprising that Jombo-Ofo was denied the oath even though the 11 other judges were sworn in.

    “The practical implication of the decision of the CJN is that Nigerian women have lost all they have struggled for over the years and Nigeria will be taken 100 years back.

    “It also shows that once a woman is married outside her community, local government area or state, she cannot aspire to any position (appointive or elective) in her husband’s community.

    “It is also very unlikely that she will secure such position in her place of origin since she has been married out,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Ekweremadu as saying on the issue.

    In his contribution, the Leader of the Senate, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, noted that this was a bad development for women, particularly at a time when a woman was the CJN.

    According to Ndoma-Egba, the implication of this is that rather than being on the part of progress, the country is retrogressing.

    “Once upon a time in this nation, we had Kalu Anya as the Chief Judge of Borno State, a Yoruba man was Attorney- General of Borno and the then Secretary to the State Government was also a non-indigene.

    “Today, three decades after, we are being told that an Igbo woman will not have opportunity in another part of Igbo land. I think we are retrogressing,’’ Ndoma- Egba said.

     

  • Senate rejects Aviation Committee report

    Senate rejects Aviation Committee report

    •British Airways, others exploiting Nigerians, says Mark 

    The Senate yesterday rejected the recommendations of its Committee on Aviation on the alleged violation of the aviation laws and practice by foreign airlines and lapses in the operation of regulatory agencies.

    The report was thrown back at the committee for more legislative input following a motion by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu that a lot of sentiments were involved in the debate.

    Senate President David Mark said the Senate would take measures to stop foreign airlines operating in the country, including the British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic, from exploiting Nigerians.

    He said the Senate cannot fold its hand and allow foreign airlines to exploit Nigerians.

    The Senate aborted the adoption of the recommendations of the Senator Hope Uzodinma-led committee due to disagreement on some vital recommendations.

    The committee had recommended that the economic regulatory powers of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should be reviewed and strengthened and that the Senate should mandate it to start the process of amending the Civil Aviation Act of 2006.

    The recommendation to grant Arik Air the national flag carriers status was not supported by many of the lawmakers who wondered why the airline should be granted such a favour.

    Senator Mark said he was infuriated by a section of the report that talked about how foreign airlines operating in Nigeria exploit the country and its citizens.

    He said: “I think you have done a lot of good work, but I think there is a lot more the committee should have done.

    “I have not seen in this report where you have explained the difference in fares among the airlines flying to Accra-London, Lagos-London or Abuja-London.

    “I have not found here the recommendations to remedy the disparity in fares because it is ongoing. I know we are talking of anti-thrust laws, but that is not the issue.

    “You need to go back and bring very critical recommendations that will make us change the aviation industry.

    “As it is at the moment, there are many problems. Of course, one of them is to reorganise our airports.

    “The airports we have at the moment, for foreign airlines to come here, they are doing us a favour because as soon as you get to our airports, you see confusion.

    “We also need to do our home work before pointing accusing fingers or blaming others for our problems.

    “What can we do because Nigerians expect that we should protect them so that people don’t take undue advantage of them? Can we do anything?

    “The point is, let nobody exploit Nigerians. British Airways and other airlines are exploiting Nigerians and we cannot fold our hands and say we cannot do anything.”

  • FG, Senate disagree over amendment of Customs laws

    FG, Senate disagree over amendment of Customs laws

    Amendment of the Nigeria Customs Service laws ended in a deadlock on Monday as the Senate and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala disagreed over the proposed amendment.

    While the Senate described the laws governing the operations of the Customs Service as “archaic” and wanted a wholesale amendment of the laws, Okonjo-Iweala objected to some provisions of the proposed Bill.

    The occasion was a public hearing on Customs Service Bills 2012 and Company Income Tax Act 2004 (amendment) Bill 2012, held by the Senate Committee on Finance.

    Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, who represented the Senate President, Senator David Mark, regretted that various reforms and reorganizations in the past failed to critically consider and address archaic laws that govern the service.

    Ndoma-Egba said that the 7th Senate is making history by transforming the Customs Service through repealing the Customs Act 2004 and other Customs and Excise laws to establish the administration and management of Nigeria Customs in conformity with international best practices.

    He said the Companies Income Tax Act, 2004 (amendment) Bill 2012 when passed will generally boost the economic activities that would be generated through tax cessation and hence provide the much needed employment opportunities for Nigerians.

    He assured that the Senate has not taken a position on any section of the proposed bill.

    But speaking at the event, Okonjo-Iweala objected to the proposal to erode the powers of the President to grant waivers, appointment of members of the Customs board and the fusion of both policy and executive powers in the Customs administration as proposed in the new bill.

    On his part, a member of the Committee, Senator Isa Galaudu noted that the proposed bill has become necessary as the Customs Service lost about N58.7billion to waivers last year alone.

    The minister in her response said it was the Federal Government that lost the revenue to waivers and not the Nigeria Customs Service.

     

  • Senate passes anti- terrorism, money laundering Bills

    Senate passes anti- terrorism, money laundering Bills

    The Senate on Wednesday passed the Terrorism Act amendment Bill and Money laundering Act 2011 amendment Bill.

    The passage of the Terrorism Act amendment Bill followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Joint Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes, anti-corruption and Legal Matters which scrutinized the Bill.

    The report of the same joint committee on Money Laundering Act amendment was also considered and adopted.

    Highlight of the Terrorism Act amendment Bill is that anybody convicted of terrorism risks life jail.

     

  • Senate to probe FCDA over estate demolition

    Senate to probe FCDA over estate demolition

    •Owners demand FCT minister’s sack

    Senate President David Mark yesterday promised to probe the demolition of the Minanuel Estate on Airport Road, Abuja, by the Development Control of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

    The promise came amid calls for the sack of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Senator Bala Muhammed and the Director of the Development Control Unit (DCU), Yahaya Yusuf, by subscribers.

    The demolished 500 housing units were to be handed over to the subscribers by the end of this month.

    But on September 29, the DCU rolled out its bulldozers and demolished the houses valued at over N3 billion.

    A coalition of the subscribers, civil rights activists, religious and cultural organisations yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly.

    Addressing the protesters on Mark’s behalf, Senator Abu Ibrahim condemned the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    He told the gathering that the upper chamber had met over the issue to review the FCDA’s action.

    Ibrahim said appropriate steps would be taken to assuage the suffering of the subscribers.

    In a protest letter to the Senate President read by their spokesperson, Festus Adebayo, the subscribers demanded adequate compensation.

    They also called for the prosecution of the FCDA officials, who carried out the exercise.

    In the October 5 letter, entitled: “Wanton Demolition of our 500 housing units”, the authors recalled their ordeal in the hands of the FCDA officials on September 29, when the demolition took place.

    The protesters were barred from entering the National Assembly Complex by security officials.

    A subscriber, Goddy Nnorom, lamented how he invested about N4.7 million borrowed from his wife, a banker, who suffered a stroke as a result of the demolition.

    Israel Ekrang, chief executive officer of Isvin Ventures and Chairman, Developers Association Goza called for compensation for the victims.

    The developer said it acquired the land from N.C.R and Associates in 2004 after which he applied for relevant approvals that were duly granted.

    The company has been involved in carrying out the business of mass housing development in various states for over 15 years.