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Tag: Senate

  • Senate aborts debate on allegation against military

    THE widely reported debate of former Defence Minister General Theophilus Danjuma’s claim that the military was “colluding” with alleged killer herdsmen to perpetrate ethnic cleansing was aborted in the Senate yesterday.

    The debate of the controversial claim was not listed in the Order Paper and Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf, who raised the matter, also kept silent.

    No reason was given for what appeared to be a deliberate omission of the item on the Order Paper.

    Senator Yusuf (Taraba Central) on Tuesday drew the attention of the Senate to Danjuma’s allegation against the military over unbaiting killings in Taraba State and parts of the country.

    The Taraba Central lawmaker sought and was granted leave to bring a substantive motion on the issue yesterday.

    Spirited effort by another Taraba senator, Emmanuel Bwacha, to reopen the matter failed.

    The Taraba South senator, however, succeeded in laying letters to show what Danjuma claimed was reported to federal authorities, including the military high command.

    Bwacha told the Senate that as the senator representing Danjuma, he was in position of publications showing that federal authorities and the military high command were duly alerted about the activities of some military personnel in Taraba State, who were allegedly aiding and abating killer herdsmen.

    Some senators felt uncomfortable over what Bwacha was saying and attempted to stop him.

    Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan reminded the upper house that the issue Bwacha wanted to discuss was the same issue raised by Yusuf.

    Lawan said it would be proper to guide Bwacha to reserve his submission until Yusuf presented his motion.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki agreed and asked Bwacha to suspend his submission until the motion was presented.

    Although Saraki said the motion would come up in another legislative day, it was not clear when it would be presented.

    Some senators said the security nature of the motion may be taken into account in presenting the motion.

  • Senate to debate Danjuma’s claim

    •Ortom backs self-defence call •Afenifere seeks probe 

    Senators will debate former Defence Minister Theophilus Danjuma’s allegation, that the military is “colluding” with killer-herdsmen to commit “ethnic cleansing”.

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday supported the call by Gen. Danjuma that Nigerians should defend themselves.

    The Yoruba socio-cultural group Afenifere called for a probe of the allegations made by the former military chief.

    Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf drew the attention of the Senate to Gen. Danjuma’s allegations against the military.

    The Taraba Central lawmaker sought the leave of the Senate to bring a substantive motion on the issues today to allow senators to debate them.

    Yusuf said: “A respected Nigerian and a former Minister of Defence TY Danjuma, on Saturday at a convocation ceremony in Taraba State raised some weighty allegations against the Nigerian Army. The allegation came from a respected Nigerian. I need the permission of the Senate to bring a proper motion tomorrow (today) so that we can debate the allegations raised.”

    When Senate President Bukola Saraki sought the permission of the Senate to allow Yusuf to bring a substantive motion on the issues raised by Danjuma, it appeared majority of the lawmakers opposed the proposal.

    Saraki who seemed to have made up his mind for the issues raised by Danjuma to be debated, put the proposal to vote for the second time.

    The opposition of lawmakers against the proposal grew even louder but Saraki ruled that “the ayes have it.”

    Saraki said, “The issues raised by Danjuma are very serious. As a parliament, we can’t allow this to pass. So, when the motion is brought here, lawmakers will have the opportunity to contribute and we will know the next line of action to take.”

    Ortom said the kind of advice given by Gen. Damjuma did not mean that people should carry banned arms

    Speaking on the criticisms that followed the self-defence advice,Ortom said people misrepresented the message.

    According to him, it was a normal thing for people to defend themselves from any attacks.

    He said: “There is a misrepresentation of what the former minister said. He did not tell anybody to take up arms. He only said that people should protect themselves. Of course, you know that self-preservation is the first law of nature.

    “You can’t just wait in your house and allow someone to come and kill you. You can resist the person, but you don’t necessarily need to have arms. I think that was what the minister was saying.  There is need for people to arise to defend themselves, not necessarily using weapons that are banned.

    “You can use a stick and disarm someone. Some years ago, I was able to disarm armed robbers bearing seven AK 47 rifles without anything. I think that is the kind of thing he is trying to say. Nigerians should rise up to do this. Security matters are not just left in the hands of security men, it requires every one of us to put our heads together and be courageous to be able to surmount it.” he told State House reporters yesterday.

    Former Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Prof Akin Oyebode, said Gen. Danjuma’s advice is not a call to anarchy.

    Prof. Oyebode said people had to protect themselves when their existence is threatened.

    The legal giant, backed the General’s assertion that the country had not demonstrated its capability to protect Nigerians.

    He said: “Nigeria being a failing state, unable to render protection to its citizens cannot consider Gen. Danjuma’s call an invitation to anarchy.

    “Self-preservation is the first order of nature and people cannot stand idly by in the face of their decimation.

    After its meeting yesterday in Akure, the Afenifere called on the United Nations (UN) and President Muhammadu Buhari to launch full scale investigation into allegations leveled against the military by Gen. Danjuma.

    Briefing reporters after the meeting, Publicity Secretary Yinka Odumakin noted that if not well probed by the UN and Buhari, such statement by Gen. Danjuma against the military could lead to serious security breaches and lack of trust among ethnic groups in the country.

    Afenifere expressed dismay that nobody had been sanctioned or convicted over the incessant herdsmen’s attacks on farmers across the country.

    According to the Yoruba leaders, President Buhari must be more decisive in dealing with security issues, hence the need for the federal government to investigate and brought to book any military officer found to be compromising in Benue, Taraba killings and other parts of the country.

    The meeting was attended by Yoruba leaders from Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, Kogi, Lagos and Oyo states. Among them Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Olu Falae, Basorun Sehinde Arogbofa, Chief Mojisoluwa Akinfehinwa, former governor of Ondo state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Senator Iyiola Omisore and Prof Tunde Adeniran among others.

  • Polls: Senate begins move to override Buhari’s veto

    •Panel to probe allegation of bribery

    THE Senate yesterday began the process of overriding President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto to the amendment of the Electoral Act, 2018.

    The upper chamber reintroduced the “Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2018”.

    The Bill, tagged: SB 645, and sponsored by Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, Senator Suleiman Nazif, scaled first reading seamlessly.

    It was on a day the Senate mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate alleged attempts to compromise senators and House of Representatives members to abandon plans to override the President’s veto.

    A number of senators in support of the Bill insisted that it was wrong for Buhari to withhold assent to the proposed legislation.

    Others opposed to the Bill saw it as targeted at the President and vowed to scuttle it.

    Insiders said the lawmakers will pass the Bill once again as it was done before the President withheld his assent.

    The most contentious section of the Bill is the reordering of election sequence, which placed the presidential election last in the order of election in the country.

    The reintroduction of the Bill is coming at a time allegations of bribery to scuttle the override of the veto were making the rounds.

    President Buhari withheld assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2018, on the excuse that his assent would infringe on the constitutional powers of INEC.

    The President, in a letter to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, said giving assent to the Bill would make the National Assembly appear as if it was legislating for the states on local government-related issues.

    It was not known how far the Senate can go in its determination to override the President’s veto to the Bill.

    The resolution to investigate the allegation followed a point of order by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi on the issue.

    Nwaoboshi (Delta North) told his colleagues that the media was awash on Monday about alleged move to bribe senators and House members to scuttle the plan to override the President’s veto on the Electoral Act.

    It was alleged that $50,000 had been earmarked for senators and members of the House of Representatives are expected to get $30,000 each to stop the override plot.

    The upper chamber asked the committee to report back its finding within two weeks for a decisive action to be taken.

    Nwaoboshi told his colleagues that the media report infringes on his right as a senator since he did not receive any money from anybody.

    He prayed the Senate to get to the root of the matter with a view to unearthing the faces behind the bribery allegation.

    Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, who supported the motion, noted that he has been inundated with phone calls from his constituents over the allegation.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki agreed that the allegations should be investigated.

    Saraki described the allegation as a big dent on the image of the National Assembly.

    Nwaoboshi was asked to lay a copy of one of the publications.

     

     

     

     

  • Omo-Agege sues Senate

    THE Senator representing Delta Central, Ovie Omo-Agege, has sued the Senate to stop his appearance before the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over his position on the amendment of the Electoral Act, 2018.

    Omo-Agege was scheduled to appear before the Senator Samuel Anyanwu yesterday.

    A letter addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, also copied the Ethic Committee, said the subject matter for which Omo-Agege was to appear before the committee was already in court.

    The letter dated March 26, 2018 was signed by  Ifeoluwa Ojediran for Summit Law Chambers.

    Omo-Agege was one of the nine senators who stormed out of the Senate chamber to express their opposition to the adoption of the conference committee report on the amendment of the Electoral Act, 2018.

    He was later to apologise to the Senate over his position.

  • Election sequence: Senate probes bribery allegation

    The Senate on Tuesday mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate alleged attempts to compromise senators and House of Representatives members to abandon plans to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto of the 2018 Electoral Act amendment.

    The resolution to investigate the allegation followed a point of order raised by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi on the issue.

    Nwaoboshi (Delta North) told his colleagues that the media was awash with reports on Monday about alleged move to bribe senators and House members to scuttle the plan to override the President’s veto on the Electoral Act.

    It was alleged that $50,000 had been earmarked for senators, while members of the House of Representatives, are expected to get $30,000 each to stop the override plot.

    The upper chamber asked the committee to report back its finding within two weeks for a decisive action on the matter.

    Nwaoboshi told his colleagues that media report infringes on his right as a senator since he did not receive any money from anybody.

    He prayed the Senate to get to the root of the matter with a view to unearthing the faces behind the bribery allegation.

    Nwaoboshi said: “My constituents have been calling me through phone calls and emails. They are asking me to share the $50,000 I received as bribe with them to scuttle plans by the Senate to override the veto of the President.

    “I know that as a person, I have not received such money. Many of my colleagues too did not receive any money. I am sure nobody received the bribe they are alleging. This allegation infringes on my right as a senator and I think we have to get to the root of this issue.”

    Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, who supported the motion, noted that he has been inundated with phone calls from his constituents over the allegation.

    Ohuabunwa insisted that if allegation was not cleared Nigerians will believe and tag them as thieves.

     

     

  • Senate endorses three new federal higher institutions

    The Senate has technically endorsed establishment of Federal Polytechnic Adikpo, Benue State; Federal Polytechnic Item, Abia State and Federal College of Education, Omuo Ekiti, Ekiti State.

    The endorsement followed the consideration of the Bills, which proposed the establishment of the institutions at a widely attended public hearing held by the upper chamber in Abuja.

    Senators Barnabas Gemade sponsored the Bill for the establishment of Federal Polytechnic, Adikpo while Senator Mao Ohuabunwa proposed the establishment of Federal Polytechnic Item.

    Senator Biodun Olujimi sponsored the establishment of Federal College of Education, Omuo Ekiti.

    Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, who represented Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the public hearing, underscored the importance of education in the country.

    He also stressed the need to spread establishment of educational institutions in parts of the country for the benefit of education hungry Nigerians.

    Adeyeye assured the Senate will continue to support the establishment of vital higher institutions in the country.

    The Osun Central lawmaker noted that there was no doubt polytechnics have continued to play vital role in the provision of middle level manpower and young professionals who help in no small measure in the development of the country.

    Chairman Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Jibrin Barau, noted the public hearing became necessary to enable Nigerians make input before the Bills are passed.

    Barau said the input of the public will, no doubt, will enrich the Bills before their passage into law.

    Senator Gemade, who gave the synopsis of why Federal Polytechnic Adikpo should be established, noted Benue State is one of the few states in the north known to have made education an industry.

    Gemade also said that the establishment of the polytechnic will help to balance the establishment institutions of higher learning in the state.

    He noted that the only federal presence in his entire constituency is a unity school, which is not significant enough to give the people a sense of belonging.

    He said that the people of Adikpo area were not only industrious in education but have produced five vice chancellors that served in the state and at national level.

    The lawmaker added that he is convinced that the establishment of the institution will go a long way to enhance the education fortunes of Benue State people.

    Ohuabunwa, noted that apart from University of Agriculture Umudike, there is no other federal institution in the state.

    He said that the Senate came up with the resolution that there should be federal presence in every constituency in the interest of Nigerians.

    He said that the Federal Polytechnic Item is well cut out as the best location to site the institution because of the abundance of technical knowhow in the area.

    The Abia North lawmaker said that there were many schools in the area to feed the polytechnic for the benefit of the country.

    Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Olujimi said that each constituency wanted federal presence to give the peoples a ense of belonging.

    She noted that Ekiti State is known for one industry “and that industry is education.”

    Olujimi said that Ekiti South should be given a right of place through the establishment of the Federal College of Education.

    She said that the people were ready to give whatever it takes to facilitate establishment of the institution.

    At the end of the public hearing nobody spoke against the establishment of the three institutions in the three states.

    Barau promised to submit the report of his committee to the Senate in plenary as soon as possible.

     

  • Senate confirms CBN Deputy Governors, MPC members

    The Senate yesterday confirmed three of President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominees as members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The upper chamber rejected one nominee, Asheikh Maidugu who was also nominated as a member of the MPC.

    Those confirmed were Adeola Adenikinju, Aliyu Sanusi and Robert Asogwa.

    The confirmation of the three nominees and the rejection of one of them followed the consideration of the report of the Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, which screened the four nominees.

    Committee chair, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim told the Senate that while Adenikinju, Sanusi and Asogwa showed enough knowledge and competence for the job, Maidugu’s nomination was turned down grounds of incompetence.

    The Senate also confirmed the nomination of Aishah Ahmad and Edward Adamu as Deputy Governors of the apex bank.

    Ibrahim described the confirmed nominees as “very resourceful, diligent, articulate, competent and would add the needed value in the operations of the MPC”.

    He added that the three nominees possessed “vast knowledge that would facilitate the attainment of the objectives of the price stability and the formulation of monetary and credit policies of the CBN”.

    He said the confirmed nominees displayed adequate knowledge of the operations of the CBN Act, 2007 and the Banks and other Financial Institutions Act, 1990.

    The report said Maidugu was rejected because he may not be able to carry out his duties independently as a member of MPC.

    It said the nominee, who hails from Yobe State, was a Director of Planning, Research and Statistics Department at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Abuja since 2015 till date.

    “The nominee was interviewed by the Committee and he responded to the questions asked by members but the Committee was dissatisfied with his response to the independence required for each member of the MPC and concerned that a regular civil servant saddled with bureaucracy and red-tapism may not be independent in his judgment on each crucial decision of the MPC that affect directly the whole economy,” the report said.

    On Tuesday last week, the Senate reversed itself over its resolution not to confirm members of the MPC of the CBN.

    It asked its Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions to immediately confirm the two CBN deputy governorship nominees and four members of the MPC to pave the way for the meeting.

    The MPC meeting billed for January 22 and 23 as well as March 19 and 20, 2018, could not hold as a result of the committee’s inability to form quorum as stipulated in the CBN Act 2007.

    The 12-member Committee comprises a chairman, who is the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as well as other members drawn from the apex bank and seven members from the private sector.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki in his remarks, urged the Executive to present another nominee to replace the rejected MPC nominee.

    He assured that the nominated CBN Board members would also be looked into next week.

    Saraki also urged the confirmed deputy governors of the apex bank to work with the CBN Governor to move the economy and the country forward.

    He said the two deputy governors were coming when the growth of the economy is in the front burner.

    The country, he said, has just come out of recession and “we need to continue with our economic growth and sustainability of the foreign exchange.”

  • Senate confirms CBN deputy governors, MPC nominees

    The Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointments of Mrs. Aisha Ahmad and Mr. Edward Adamu as Deputy Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    It also approved the nomination of three out of four members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

    The MPC members confirmed are – Prof. Adeola Festus Adenikinju, Dr. Aliyu Rafindadi Sanusi and Dr. Robert Chikwendu Asogwa.

    However, the upper legislative chamber rejected Dr. Asheikh A. Maidugu’s nomination.

    The confirmation followed the adoption of the reports by the Senate Committee ‎on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, which screened the nominees last week.

    In the report presented by Chairman of the Committee, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, the panel said Maidugu was considered not qualified to occupy the position for which he was nominated.

  • Senate slams critics of passed bills

    THE Senate yesterday warned critics of bills passed by the National Assembly to desist from misinterpreting such bills.

    This may not be unconnected with the ruling of a Federal High Court, which restrained it from taking further action on the controversial Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018.

    The upper chamber noted that such alleged misinterpretations of passed Bills, “breeds roadside Appeal and Supreme Courts entities, who always see Bills passed by the National Assembly as either self-serving or infractions on extant laws of the land”.

    It said the critics, most often than not, fail to participate in the process of passing the Bills, even when opportunities are created for participation.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki gave the warning at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for the consideration of three Bills.

    He noted that it was unfortunate that critics of Bills passed by the National Assembly were never present at legislative forums for the necessary cross fertilisation of ideas.

    Saraki, who was represented at the event by Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said the Senate did not take preconceived position on the bills before they were passed.

    He listed the Bills as Legal Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill 2018; Data Protection Bill and Facial Mutilation Prohibition Bill.

    The Senate President said: “No particular position has been taken in respect of these bills. Relevant stakeholders were invited to make input to the bills but unfortunately ardent critics of laws made by us are not here to make their inputs.

    “These critics are no doubt, roadside appeal misinterpreting our laws and by extension turning the decision of the National Assembly upside down as being experienced with one of the bills recently passed and being litigated against.

    “Our appeal to these critics is to stop misinterpreting our laws and make themselves available at the public hearing stage of passing such laws.”

    Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami was absent at the public hearing.

    Malami was represented by Yusuf Abdullahi, a lawyer, from the Office of the AGF.

    Chairman of the Committee Senator David Umoru asked Abdullahi why the AGF was absent from the event

    Abdullahi told the committee that the AGF went to court in respect of the litigation against the Electoral Amendment Bill 2018.

    He said the AGF Office has a contrary view on the intendment of the Legal Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill.

    He noted that it was the view of the AGF Office that certain clauses in the Bill would affect the operation of state counsels.

    President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), however, said the proposed amendments to the Act were necessary to address the archaic nature of the Act, having been enacted in 1962.

    He said: “The move by the Senate to amend the Legal Practitioners Act through an amendment Bill is a welcome development because to us, that would help in bringing the needed reforms for the review of regulation of the legal profession.”

     

  • Senate to hold valedictory session for late member today

    THE Senate will today hold a valedictory session for late Senator Ali Wakili.

    Wakili died on Saturday, March 17 in his Gwarinpa, Abuja home after a brief illness.

    Before his sudden death, the Bauchi South lawmaker was one of the eyes of President Muhammadu Buhari in the upper chamber.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki, who announced the valedictory session, asked senators to endeavour to attend the session to honour their late colleague.

    Saraki also adjourned plenary in honour of the late senator.