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Tag: Senate

  • Senate eulogises Nwaoboshi as Akpabio approves automatic jobs for late aide’s sons

    Senate eulogises Nwaoboshi as Akpabio approves automatic jobs for late aide’s sons

    • …as Akpabio announces automatic employment for sons of deceased Police aide

    The Senate on Tuesday paid glowing tributes to the late Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who represented the Delta North Senatorial District in the Ninth Assembly.

    During plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio also announced automatic employment for the two sons of his police rider, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Hussani Ibrahim, who died in a ghastly motor accident on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway on Sunday.

    Tributes to Nwaoboshi followed a motion moved by Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas (APC, Delta South). Separately, a motion honouring the late DSP Ibrahim and Alhaji Ibrahim Tukur—who died recently—was moved by Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West). Tukur served as the driver to Senator Jibrin Isah (Echocho), representing Kogi East, for 25 years.

    The Senate observed a minute’s silence in honour of Nwaoboshi, Akpabio’s police rider, and Senator Isah’s long-serving driver.

    Lawmakers commiserated with the family of the late Nwaoboshi, as well as the government and people of Delta State. The Senate also expressed condolences to the family of DSP Ibrahim and the Senate President over the tragic loss.

    Announcing the automatic employment of the late officer’s two sons, Akpabio informed his colleagues of the accident during plenary. DSP Ibrahim, who served as the Senate President’s rider, has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

    In a heartfelt tribute, Akpabio described the late officer as a man who deeply understood the value of work and service.

    “Your late father understood the value of work and service. He devoted himself to it. Unfortunately, instead of earning a laurel for his devotion, he earned death. But it is a death not in vain; a death that testifies to his legacy of service. May the Lord accept his soul,” Akpabio said.

    He extended condolences to the bereaved family, the Inspector General of Police, and the Nigeria Police Force.

    “I commiserate with the family, the Inspector General of Police, and the Nigeria Police Force over the loss of this courageous, fearless, and daring officer. While I pray that God accepts his soul, may He grant the family and the Nigeria Police Force the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he added.

    The Senate President’s offer of automatic employment for DSP Ibrahim’s sons was described as a gesture of support to the family in recognition of the officer’s sacrifice and service.

    In a related development, the Senate also honoured the late Alhaji Ibrahim Tukur, a committed driver who served Senator Jibrin Isah for 25 years, observing a minute’s silence and praying for the repose of the souls of the departed.

  • Senate, Reps push for stronger protections for Nigeria’s elderly, but implementation gaps persist

    Senate, Reps push for stronger protections for Nigeria’s elderly, but implementation gaps persist

    Over the last several years the National Assembly has taken a number of legislative and oversight steps to recognise and support older Nigerians, most notably the National Senior Citizens Centre Act, and, in 2025, both chambers have moved again to expand statutory protections, social care and health benefits for the elderly.

    But experts and advocates say the legal framework has not yet translated into consistent, nationwide access to cash support, healthcare relief or guaranteed services for many older Nigerians.

    For instance, as a former Senator representing Lagos Central, the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, sponsored a Social Security Bill in 2012, which aimed to provide a social safety net for vulnerable citizens, including the elderly.

    The objective of the Bill was to create a formal system for supporting the less privileged, especially the elderly, with the aim of alleviating poverty and improving quality of life for vulnerable populations. The bill passed its second reading in the Senate in March 2012 and was referred to relevant committees for further review. However, it was never passed by the Senate.

    In 2022, the Senate passed a bill to establish the National Social Security Commission. The bill sought to “provide a comprehensive legal and governance framework for the proper administration and management of all-inclusive, integrated, preventive, promotive and transformative national social security regime.”

    It was aimed to put in place a national social security protection funding to take care of the needs of the unemployed, elderly and underaged children below 18 years from broken marriages.

    However, the Bill neither gained concurrence from the House of Representatives nor was it assented to.  Similarly, the Senate passed the Older Persons (Rights and Privileges) Bill 2020. The Bill on Older Persons (Right and Privileges), according to Senator Betty Apiafi, who was then chair of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, was aimed at addressing the social and economic challenges triggered by aging and the need for government to formulate policies that would incorporate the elderly and cater for their well-being. The Bill, she said, further provided for a fine of N2 million or N200,000 from organisations or individuals respectively found to have discriminated against older persons.

    She had said: “Without prejudice to this Bill, any prosecution, conviction or otherwise of any person for any offence under this Bill, does not preclude the right of the victim to maintain a civil action against any such person committing the offence or causing injury.”

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    “Government shall ensure that older persons enjoy the right to adequate standard of living, including the right to food, water, clothing and housing and to improve their living conditions without discrimination on the basis of age. Government shall ensure the provision of seats in walkways, other public facilities specifically designed for the comfort of older persons.”

    However the Bill was not assented to.

    What exists now: law, centre and policy: National Senior Citizens Centre Act (2017/2018).

    The National Senior Citizens Centre was established pursuant to the National Citizens Center Act 2017 with mandate to identify the needs of senior citizens and to cater for them. It is the first distinct national corporate body with focus on social inclusion of senior citizens in sustainable development and the improvement of the quality of living and well-being for self-fulfillment. NSCC is to identify opportunities for trainings to enhance capacities of senior citizens, initiate, facilitate and implement educational, health and social programmes, productive activities and work schemes in order to provide income or otherwise supplement earnings of senior citizens. NSCC is to also ensure the provision of recreation, sports and counseling programmes, all aiming to enhance dignity, independence, security and care of Nigeria’s senior citizens.

    Although the law sets out the NSCC’s functions but it does not itself create a national pension top-up or universal cash transfer targeted only at older persons.

    Also, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, produced a National Policy on Ageing in 2020 that sets priorities for health, social protection and inclusion of older persons and cross-references the NSCC Act as the institutional anchor for ageing policy in Nigeria.

    This year, the House of Representatives held public hearings and begun consideration of a bill aiming to “guarantee social and civil rights” of older persons. The Bill proposed measures such as free medical care in public hospitals, tax exemptions, stipends for indigent older persons and stronger safeguards against abandonment or neglect.

    Speaking at a public hearing on a Bill seeking to provide certain rights for Older Persons to ensure health and economic relief and protection for their social and civil rights organised by the Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, said many of these social benefits were previously covered by traditional family support systems.

    Abbas said the House resolved to provide a formal legal structure that would protect the aged from abuse. He said: “This Older Persons (Rights and Privileges) Bill has become necessary because existing legislations, like the National Senior Citizens Centre Act, 2018, have not fully taken care of the peculiar needs of older persons and their rights are constantly abridged by others – from family members to public institutions and the rest of society.

    “This Bill is, therefore, an attempt to provide comprehensive protection for the specific rights of older citizens and meet our obligations towards safeguarding their welfare.

    “Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, guarantees certain inalienable rights for every Citizen and forbids the discrimination of persons on the basis of religion or race or gender, but it fails to cover the peculiar injustices that old people suffer simply because they are old.”

    “The Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy in Chapter 2 of the Constitution also make provisions for the well-being of citizens, but they are not obligations that are justifiable or enforceable.

    “In sum, current policy and legal frameworks for the protection of old people are either fragmented or incomplete, and mostly cannot be enforced by the courts. This Bill not only hopes to address a wider range of issues, including social and economic challenges, but also to provide a legally binding framework for older people.

    “The important thing here is that old people are now to be protected by legally enforceable rights, and they can hope to get restitution from the courts if these rights or entitlements are breached. It is a very progressive bill which seeks to bring the social welfare programme available for old people up to date. “It examines the pressures that joblessness, loneliness, neglect, insecurity, poverty, retirement, and health challenges foist on the aged and make provisions for safeguards and benefits that will enable them to live better.”

    Proposed provisions in the Bill include free medical services in government facilities, some forms of tax exemption, stipends, and protection against abandonment.

    “Many of these were previously covered by traditional family support systems, but as those weaken, we must provide a formal legal structure that will protect the aged from abuse,” Abbas said.

    The Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Kafilat Ogbara, said the provisions of the Bill “reflect on our collective responsibility to ensure that our older population receives the dignity, respect, and support they deserve. I call it The Society Giving Back”.

    She added: “As we know, older persons often face unique challenges that can affect their health, economic stability, and social engagement. This legislation aims to address these issues head-on by establishing a framework that guarantees their rights and protections.

    “House Bill 2098 seeks to ensure health and economic relief for older persons, recognising that access to quality healthcare and financial security are fundamental human rights. It also emphasises the importance of protecting their social and civic rights, allowing them to participate fully in society and contribute their wisdom and experience.”

    The National Coordinator of National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Badamasi Lawal, said the Older Persons Bill, 2025, under consideration should be harmonised with the National Senior Citizens Centre Act, 2018 for ease of operationability in supporting Older Persons in Nigeria.

    Speaking on behalf of the National Pension Commission (NPC), Martins Ikagu described the proposed legislation as a positive development which would further strengthen and expand the legal framework on social security in Nigeria.

    If passed by the House, the Bill will require the concurrence of the Senate and ultimately the assent of the President to become law.

  • Senate okays new CEOs for NUPRC, NMDPRA

    Senate okays new CEOs for NUPRC, NMDPRA

    The Senate, yesterday, confirmed the appointments of new chief executives for Nigeria’s key petroleum regulatory agencies, paving the way for a leadership reset in the upstream as well as the midstream and downstream segments of the oil and gas industry following the exit of their predecessors.

    The confirmations came after the Senate considered and adopted the report of the joint committees that screened the nominees. The report was presented at plenary by the Chairman of the committees, Senator Kawu Sumaila, during a session presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.

    Those confirmed are Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Mohammed as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

    Presenting the report, Sumaila recalled that at its sitting of December 18, 2025, the Senate received a request from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seeking legislative confirmation of the two nominees in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021. The request was subsequently referred to the relevant joint committees on petroleum for screening.

    He noted that Sections 4 and 29 of the PIA establish the NUPRC and the NMDPRA, while Sections 11(3) and 34(3) empower the President to appoint their chief executives for a renewable five-year term, subject to Senate confirmation.

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    According to him, the joint committees engaged the nominees in what he described as a rigorous and transparent screening exercise, during which lawmakers examined their qualifications, experience and understanding of the statutory mandates of the two agencies.

    “The Joint Committee, having screened the nominees and being satisfied with their qualifications, expertise and responses to questions, recommends that the Senate confirm the nomination of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and Engineer Saidu Mohammed as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority,” Sumaila said.

    The Deputy Senate President thereafter put the recommendations to a voice vote, which was unanimously affirmed by lawmakers.

    Announcing the outcome, Barau commended the joint committees for what he described as uncommon diligence and speed, noting that the screening exercise was concluded within an unusually short period.

    “The confirmation was referred to the committee just yesterday. They worked through the night and did in one day what ordinarily should take one or two weeks,” he said, describing the effort as a demonstration of commitment to the Senate and the nation.

    Barau congratulated the newly confirmed chief executives and reminded them that their appointments were a call to national service, urging them to discharge their duties in the overall interest of the country.

    With the confirmation, the Senate has formally completed the process of installing new leadership in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory architecture, a development seen as critical to sustaining reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act and strengthening stability in the oil and gas sector.

  • JUST IN: Senate confirms Mohammed, Eyesan as new CEOs for NMDPRA, NUPRC

    JUST IN: Senate confirms Mohammed, Eyesan as new CEOs for NMDPRA, NUPRC

    The Senate on Friday confirmed the appointments of new chief executives for Nigeria’s key petroleum regulatory agencies, paving the way for a leadership reset in the upstream as well as the midstream and downstream segments of the oil and gas industry following the exit of their predecessors.

    The confirmations came after the Senate considered and adopted the report of the joint committees that screened the nominees.

    The report was presented at plenary by the Chairman of the committees, Senator Kawu Sumaila, during a session presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.

    Those confirmed are Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Mohammed as Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

    Presenting the report, Sumaila recalled that at its sitting of December 18, 2025, the Senate received a request from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seeking legislative confirmation of the two nominees in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021. The request was subsequently referred to the relevant joint committees on petroleum for screening.

    He noted that Sections 4 and 29 of the PIA establish the NUPRC and the NMDPRA, while Sections 11(3) and 34(3) empower the President to appoint their chief executives for a renewable five-year term, subject to Senate confirmation.

    According to him, the joint committees engaged the nominees in what he described as a rigorous and transparent screening exercise, during which lawmakers examined their qualifications, experience, and understanding of the statutory mandates of the two agencies.

    “The Joint Committee, having screened the nominees and being satisfied with their qualifications, expertise, and responses to questions, recommends that the Senate confirm the nomination of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and Engineer Saidu Mohammed as Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority,” Sumaila said.

    The Deputy Senate President thereafter put the recommendations to a voice vote, which was unanimously affirmed by lawmakers.

    Announcing the outcome, Barau commended the joint committees for what he described as uncommon diligence and speed, noting that the screening exercise was concluded within an unusually short period.

    Read Also: Senate screens Tinubu’s mominees for NUPRC, NMDPRA

    “The confirmation was referred to the committee just yesterday. They worked through the night and did in one day what ordinarily should take one or two weeks,” he said, describing the effort as a demonstration of commitment to the Senate and the nation.

    Barau congratulated the newly confirmed chief executives and reminded them that their appointments were a call to national service, urging them to discharge their duties in the overall interest of the country.

    With the confirmation, the Senate has formally completed the process of installing new leadership in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory architecture, a development seen as critical to sustaining reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act and strengthening stability in the oil and gas sector.

  • Senate screens Tinubu’s mominees for NUPRC, NMDPRA

    Senate screens Tinubu’s mominees for NUPRC, NMDPRA

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s push to reform Nigeria’s oil and gas governance gathered momentum on Thursday as the Senate began the screening of nominees for the leadership of the country’s key petroleum regulatory agencies.

    The nominees, Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Saidu Mohammed for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), appeared before the joint Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream, Downstream and Gas) at the National Assembly.

    During the screening, the nominees pledged to implement far-reaching reforms aimed at blocking revenue leakages, restoring regulatory discipline and attracting new investments into the sector.

    They outlined reform agendas focused on digitisation, strict enforcement of contracts, credible data management, improved investor confidence and accelerated gas development, in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

    Their nominations followed the resignation of the pioneer chief executives of the two agencies, Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC and Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA, who were appointed in 2021 after the PIA came into force.

    Eyesan, nominated to lead the upstream regulator, told senators that Nigeria was losing significant value due to manual regulatory processes and weak system integration in an industry that is increasingly driven by technology. 

    She stressed the need for modern, digital systems to enhance transparency, efficiency and accountability across the upstream sector.

    “We are still largely manual, while the world is moving at jet speed. Without digitisation and real-time data, you cannot truly understand what you are regulating, and you will continue to lose money,” she said.

    She stressed that effective regulation depends on accurate data, asset integrity monitoring and transparent systems, adding that collaboration among regulators, operators and policymakers was key to resolving bottlenecks in the sector.

    “We must collaborate with stakeholders, identify our pain points and address them collectively. That is how we move the needle forward,” Eyesan said.

    She assured lawmakers that she would fully deploy the PIA as a regulatory tool to reposition the upstream sector, attract investments and ensure Nigeria remains competitive amid the global energy transition, describing the law as “a valuable document” if properly implemented.

    Eyesan, an Economics graduate of the University of Benin, spent nearly 33 years at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its subsidiaries, retiring as Executive Vice President, Upstream. She cited her role in resolving long-standing disputes with international partners, restoring investor confidence during divestment threats and facilitating multi-billion-dollar deep offshore investments.

    She also recalled signing Nigeria’s first non-associated gas development contract and contributing to the increase in crude oil production from about 1.3 million barrels per day to 1.8 million barrels per day during her tenure.

    “Having worked as an operator and participated in resource development, I believe I have the competence to regulate the industry and ensure we maximise the enormous opportunities before us,” she told the committee.

    On his part, Mohammed, the NMDPRA nominee, emphasised the need to restore discipline across the gas and petroleum supply chain through strict enforcement of contracts and quality standards.

    “Gas is not a favour; it is a commodity. It must be sold on the basis of enforceable contracts from the producer to the transporter and the end-user,” he said, blaming weak contractual frameworks for persistent gas shortages, particularly in the power sector.

    He noted that steady gas supply to some power plants was only possible where contracts were clear and obligations enforced, adding that strengthening regulatory oversight and enforcing the Gas Network Code would help stabilise the system and restore investor confidence.

    Mohammed also warned against neglecting domestic refining and processing capacity, cautioning that the sector could suffer the fate of Nigeria’s collapsed textile industry if local needs were ignored in favour of exports.

    The nominee pledged to revive pipeline transportation of petroleum products, attract billions of dollars in investments into gas processing infrastructure and strengthen quality assurance through in-house laboratory facilities.

    “You cannot enforce quality if you do not have the capacity to test and certify products yourself,” he said.

    Born in Gombe in 1957, Mohammed is a chemical engineering graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with decades of experience across the oil and gas value chain. He has served as Managing Director of the Nigerian Gas Company and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, as well as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power, at NNPC.

    He also played key roles in major projects including the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion and the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline.

    Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Senator Sumaila Kawu, said the screening was taking place at a critical time for the country, noting that boosting energy production and efficiency was central to economic recovery.

    He added that further engagements with the nominees would continue into January to strengthen legislative–regulatory collaboration.

    The Senate is expected to consider the committee’s report after the screening, paving the way for the confirmation of the nominees and signalling a new phase in the regulation of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry under the Tinubu administration.

  • JUST IN: Senate confirms Fani-Kayode, Omokri, ex-INEC boss, 61 others as ambassadors

    JUST IN: Senate confirms Fani-Kayode, Omokri, ex-INEC boss, 61 others as ambassadors

    The Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of 64 nominees for appointment as Career and Non-Career Ambassadors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, presented by its chairman, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger North).

    In his presentation, Senator Bello said the committee screened the nominees and found them suitable for appointment, noting that their nominations complied with relevant provisions of the law and extant guidelines governing diplomatic postings.

    According to the report, 34 of the nominees were confirmed as Career Ambassadors, while 30 others were cleared as Non-Career Ambassadors.

    Among those confirmed as Career Ambassadors are Amb. Nwaobiala Ezenwa Chukwuemeka (Abia), Betso Maimunah Ibrahim (Adamawa), Monica Okwuchukwu Enebechi (Anambra), Amb. Mohammed Mahmud Lele (Bauchi), Amb. Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Amb. Adams Jane Bassey (Cross River), Amb. Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara) and Amb. Ramat Mohammed Omobolanle (Lagos).

    Others include Amb. Adeyemi Adebayo Emmanuel (Ekiti), Amb. Okechukwu Kingsley Onaga (Enugu), Amb. Abdussalam Habu Zayyad (Kano), Amb. Shehu Ilu Barde (Katsina), Amb. Haidara Mohammed Idris (Kebbi), Amb. Bako Adamu Umar (Kogi), Amb. Shaga John Shamah (Nasarawa), Amb. Ibrahim Danlami (Niger), Reuben Abimbola Samuel (Ondo), Amb. Akande Wahab Adekola (Osun), Amb. Luther Ogbomode Ayo-Kalata (Rivers), Danladi Yakubu Nyaku (Taraba) and Bello Dogon-Daji Haliru (Sokoto).

    The Senate also confirmed prominent political figures and technocrats as Non-Career Ambassadors. They include former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Ita S.J. Enang (Akwa Ibom); former Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu; former INEC Chairman, Prof. Alhaji Mahmud Yakubu; former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (rtd); former Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd); and former Ondo lawmaker, Senator Jimoh F. Ibrahim.

    Also confirmed were Chief Olufemi Fani-Kayode, Prof. Isaac F. Adewole, Mr. Reno Omokri, Chief Olufemi Pedro, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Mrs. Ajimobi Fatima Florence, Senator Grace Bent, Senator Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut, Dr. Yakubu N. Gambo, and several others drawn from across the six geopolitical zones.

    Of the last batch of 65 Ambassadors-designate transmitted to the Senate by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, only the nominee representing Yobe state, Adamu Garba Talba Nangree, has not been confirmed.

    Nangree was not at the screening organised by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs last week.

    Senator Bello had remarked that he was in communication with the nominee and that he would be screened in his office at a later date.

    After the adoption of the report, Senate President Godswill Akpabio declared the nominees confirmed, urging them to serve Nigeria diligently and project the country’s image positively in their respective postings.

  • Senate concludes amendment to 69-year-old Audit Act

    Senate concludes amendment to 69-year-old Audit Act

    …passes Institute of Economists of Nigeria Bill

    The Senate on Wednesday concluded amendment to Audit Ordinance of 1956, which if eventually assented to, would herald an entirely new audit regime christened the Federal Audit Service Bill, 2025.

    The concurrence bill was presented by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele at the plenary for consideration on Wednesday with a view to strengthening the country’s public accounts management.

    The bill, originally introduced in the House of Representatives as the Federal Audit Service Bill, 2025, was designed to repeal the extant Audit Ordinance of 1956, an archaic legislation enacted by the British colonial administration 69 years ago.

    When eventually assented to, Bamidele noted that the bill would culminate in establishing the Federal Audit Service and the Federal Audit Board, as well as strengthening the powers, independence, and functions of the Auditor-General for the Federation.

    Bamidele explained that the bill sought to replace the outdated framework with a modern, robust, and fit-for-purpose legal regime, which aligned Nigeria’s public audit system with international best practices.

    He said, “The need to repeal the Audit Ordinance Act of 1958 cannot be over-emphasised. That Ordinance is a pre-independence legislation enacted for a colonial administrative structure and is grossly inadequate for Nigeria’s present constitutional democracy, complex public finance architecture, and modern accountability standards.

    “It does not sufficiently guarantee institutional independence, operational autonomy, or the enforcement powers required of a supreme audit institution in a contemporary governance system.

    “This bill therefore seeks to replace that outdated framework with a modern, robust, and fit-for-purpose legal regime that aligns Nigeria’s public audit system with international best practices, including the principles of transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility.

    “It will enhance legislative oversight, strengthen anti-corruption efforts, and improve public confidence in the management of public funds,” the leader of the senate further explained the national significance of the audit bill.

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    Also at the plenary on Wednesday, the Senate concluded the process of establishing the Institute of Economists of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2025 designed to deepen edge-cutting research in Economics and promote professionalism in the field.

    Bamidele said the bill sought to establish the Institute of Economists of Nigeria, charged with the responsibility of determining, regulating, and maintaining standards of knowledge, skill, and professional qualification for persons aspiring to practice as economists in Nigeria.

    “The proposed Institute is intended to promote professionalism, ethical conduct, and capacity development within the economics profession, in line with global best practices.

    “The two bills – Federal Audit Service Bill, 2025 and Institute of Economists of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2025 – are straightforward in nature and have undergone the requisite legislative scrutiny and due process in the House of Representatives.

    “They are designed to strengthen public financial accountability and professional regulation, both of which are critical to sound governance and economic development,” Bamidele explained.

  • Senate blocks bid to summon Wike over Abuja sanitation, land revocation claims

    Senate blocks bid to summon Wike over Abuja sanitation, land revocation claims

    The Senate on Wednesday halted a move to summon the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over allegations of worsening waste management, sewage failures, and the purported unlawful revocation and conversion of designated green areas in Abuja, citing procedural breaches.

    The motion, sponsored by Senator Ireti Heebah Kingibe (LP, FCT), sought urgent Senate intervention in what she described as a sanitation and environmental crisis in the nation’s capital, alongside alleged violations of the Abuja Master Plan and the seizure of land belonging to Bwari General Hospital.

    Leading the debate under Orders 41 and 51, which permit the raising of urgent matters without prior notice, Kingibe warned that municipal waste collection in several parts of Abuja had collapsed, resulting in the accumulation of refuse in residential, commercial, and public spaces for weeks.

    She attributed the situation to non-payment of workers and contractors under the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and other FCT agencies for about nine months.

    According to her, former waste management contractors were owed between March and October 2025, while new contracts awarded in mid-November retained only half of the previous operators.

    She added that the newly engaged contractors had informed the FCT Minister that operations could not commence without a 30 per cent mobilisation fee, further delaying waste collection and sewage services.

    Kingibe cautioned that sewage blockages and uncollected waste had built up for nearly eight months, exposing residents to serious sanitation and public health risks, including waterborne diseases and environmental contamination.

    She also accused the FCT Administration of undermining the Abuja Master Plan through the conversion of designated green areas meant to serve as environmental buffers and service corridors for utilities.

    The senator alleged that some revocations and reallocations were carried out despite pending court cases, naming the University of Abuja as a major casualty, with about 7,000 hectares of its original land reportedly taken over or reallocated.

    However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio ruled that the motion was procedurally defective.

    He explained that while Kingibe had notified the Senate leadership of a motion on rising solid waste and its health implications, she expanded her submissions to include land revocation and other issues not covered by the notice.

    “The order cited permits debate on a specific urgent matter. To address all the other issues raised, a substantive motion on notice is required,” Akpabio said.

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    Support for the motion also waned during the debate. Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North), who initially backed the call to summon the FCT Minister, withdrew his support.

    Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin dismissed the allegations against Wike as unfounded, arguing that the minister’s achievements in Abuja were visible.

    “There are now developments in the FCT. The current minister has changed the face of Abuja. You cannot solve all problems at the same time,” Jibrin said, urging engagement through the relevant Senate committees instead.

    Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele also called for the withdrawal of the motion on procedural grounds, advising that the issues be reintroduced through a properly constituted substantive motion.

    Following the interventions, Akpabio asked Kingibe to withdraw the motion and re-present it in line with Senate rules.

    She complied, pledging to bring it back as a substantive motion focused on waste management.

  • Senate backs state police, technology-driven reforms to boost Nigeria’s security

    Senate backs state police, technology-driven reforms to boost Nigeria’s security

    The Senate on Wednesday endorsed sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s security architecture, placing the establishment of state police, intelligence-led operations, and extensive use of modern technology at the centre of efforts to tackle the country’s escalating insecurity.

    The resolutions followed the unanimous adoption of the report of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the National Security Summit, presented at plenary by the Chairman of the panel and Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

    The session was presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

    Lawmakers approved all observations and recommendations contained in the report without dissent, reflecting broad consensus on the urgent need to reset what the Senate described as a largely reactive and overstretched security architecture.

    Presenting the report, Bamidele said stakeholders drawn from the six geopolitical zones commended the National Assembly for convening the summit, describing it as a timely and bold intervention in the face of worsening insecurity across the country.

    He noted that the summit exposed fundamental weaknesses in Nigeria’s current security system, particularly its inability to anticipate and respond effectively to modern threats.

    The committee identified key drivers of insecurity to include illegal mining, porous borders, unemployment, poverty, drug abuse, illiteracy, radicalisation, weak intelligence gathering, and vast ungoverned spaces with little or no government presence.

    It also warned that ethnic, regional, and religious profiling, alongside perceived marginalisation in public appointments, had deepened mistrust and undermined national cohesion.

    Central to the recommendations is a proposed constitutional amendment to decentralise policing through the creation of state police.

    The committee argued in the report that the reform would align with the designation of governors and local government chairmen as chief security officers in their domains, enhance local intelligence gathering, strengthen early warning systems, and enable faster response to threats.

    The Senate also called for the strengthening of vigilante groups, the establishment of ward-level security liaison committees, and a comprehensive redesign of the national security architecture to prioritise prevention over reaction.

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    It urged improved inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing among the military, police, Department of State Services, immigration, customs, civil defence, intelligence agencies, traditional institutions, and community groups through joint operations centres.

    To address the root causes of violence, the Senate recommended the creation of a National Youth Stabilisation Fund targeting conflict-prone areas to tackle unemployment, poverty, drug addiction, and radicalisation, as well as stricter regulation of mining activities to curb illegal operations linked to armed groups.

    On technology, the report advocated massive investment in surveillance infrastructure, including drones, CCTV cameras, and sensors along borders and forests, improved communication systems, enhanced patrol mobility, and rapid response capabilities.

    It also proposed the establishment of mobile courts to ensure speedy justice and the fast-tracking of a National Security and Recovery Bill to rebuild communities devastated by conflict.

    The Senate further underscored the role of traditional and religious institutions as key security stakeholders, the need to curb extremist preaching, protect forests through a proposed Forest Guards Bill, and fully implement local government autonomy to strengthen grassroots governance.

    With the adoption of the report, the Senate reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing far-reaching legislative and constitutional reforms aimed at restoring peace, rebuilding public trust, and securing lives and property across the country.

  • Senate seeks fertiliser subsidy, commodity boards to rescue farmers from price crash

    Senate seeks fertiliser subsidy, commodity boards to rescue farmers from price crash

    The Senate has urged the Federal Government to subsidise fertilisers and revive commodity boards to stabilise agricultural markets and protect millions of Nigerian farmers from collapsing produce prices amid soaring input costs.

    The resolutions followed consideration of a motion sponsored by Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), which highlighted the widening gap between falling farm-gate prices and the persistently high cost of inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides, and insecticides.

    Goje, in the motion titled “The need to address the falling prices of agricultural produce in relation to the very high cost of farm inputs: A big problem to the livelihood of millions of Nigerian farmers,” noted that while food prices have eased nationwide, farmers are increasingly under pressure.

    Leading the debate, Goje commended the Federal Government for reducing food prices through import waivers and special permissions for large-scale food importation, saying the measures had brought relief to consumers.

    However, he warned that the same policies had created unintended hardship for local farmers, as cheaper imports depress prices of domestically produced food.

    He observed that although produce prices continue to decline, the cost of farm inputs remains extremely high, squeezing farmers’ margins and threatening their livelihoods.

    He expressed concern that the resulting market distortion has led to massive post-harvest losses, with farmers unable to sell their produce at fair or profitable rates, causing spoilage, income erosion, and serious economic setbacks in farming communities.

    Lawmakers in their contributions warned that sustained declines in farm-gate prices could discourage farmers from investing in the next planting season, posing a serious risk to domestic food production, rural economic activity, and national food security.

    They also cautioned that growing dependence on imported food commodities could weaken Nigeria’s food sovereignty, undermine local value chains, distort markets, and expose the economy to global price volatility and foreign exchange pressures.

    In approving the first two prayers of the motion, the Senate urged the Federal Government to immediately roll out a special emergency intervention package for farmers affected by the current price collapse to cushion losses and protect household livelihoods.

    It also resolved that the government should establish benchmark minimum prices for major agricultural commodities and introduce a guaranteed off-take programme, under which public agencies would purchase produce directly from farmers at agreed prices to stabilise the market.

    Lawmakers stressed that such measures would effectively revive the role of commodity boards and prevent farmers from being forced to sell their produce at ruinous prices.

    Beyond fertiliser subsidies, the Senate called for increased investment in storage facilities, rural roads, processing centres and irrigation systems to reduce post-harvest losses and improve farmers’ profitability.

    It also urged stronger coordination among ministries, departments and agencies, state governments, commodity boards, cooperatives and other stakeholders to ensure fair pricing, efficient transportation and improved market linkages.

    In addition, lawmakers asked the Federal Government to review the current import waiver and special permit regime to ensure Nigerian farm produce can compete fairly with imported alternatives, while safeguarding local producers.