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Tag: Senate

  • Senate screens Buhari’s nominees for CBN, MPC

    THE Senate yesterday screened President Muhammadu Buhari’s two nominees for the position of Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The nominees are Mrs. Aisha Ahmad and Mr. Edward Adamu.

    Similarly, four other nominees were also screened as members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). They are Prof. Festus Adeola Adenikinju, Dr. Aliyu Rafindadi Sanusi, Dr. Robert Chikwendu Asogwa and Dr. Asheikh Maidugu.

    The nominees took turns to face the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions as its members threw a barrage of questions at them.

    The Senate had put on hold the screening of the nominees and others appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari for several weeks, owing to disagreement between the two arms of government.

    Mrs. Ahmad, who was accompanied to the venue of the screening by her husband and her father, was the first to be screened. In response to questions, the nominee stressed the need for the country to have a stable foreign exchange policy to stabilise the economy.

    Mrs. Ahmad advocated non-oil exports-boosting policies, saying they were crucial in diversifying nation’s sources of foreign exchange.

    “One of the key challenges that we are facing is over-reliance on oil and our sensitivity to changes in the price and availability of oil.

    “The real action we need to take concerning diversifying the economy is to diversify the sources of foreign exchange.

    “It is a simple demand and supply situation; if you have a high demand for your good and supply is not there, there is a problem.

    “Over the last 18 months we have seen a steady stabilisation of our rates.

    “What the importer and exporter window has done for us is to provide some assurance, some liquidity and some transparency in that market in terms of price.

    “The stability we have seen has also encouraged some foreign investors to come and invest.

    “While working on structural issues that are more long-term in diversifying our sources of foreign exchange, coming up with policies that stimulate domestic production and encourage exporters, we ensure we are converging on the rates.

    “So, the difference between the official rates and the rates you have in some of the other channels are to be converged,” she added.

    On his part, Edward Adamu, who is widely acknowledged to have been appointed on merit based on his track record at the apex bank, was not subjected to the grill. Members of the Senate committee were unanimous in giving him a smooth passage.

    Alleged moves by some Presidency cabal to replace Adamu with a preferred candidate were vehemently resisted by his colleagues at the CBN, who vowed to frustrate such manipulation.

    At the beginning of the exercise, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, pleaded with the lawmakers to also screen other nominees of the President, whose nomination are still pending.

    Chairman of the Senate Committee Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, however, said the Senate leadership decided to yield ground owing to the strategic and sensitive nature of the nominees’ appointments.

  • Senate reports judge to CJN

    The Senate yesterday resolved to write to Chief Justice of  Nigeria(CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen, over alleged excesses of some judicial officers in cases involving arms of government.

    Senators decided to draw the attention of the CJN to the ruling of an Abuja Federal High presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed which restrained the National Assembly from overriding President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the amendment of the Electoral Act, 2018.

    Justice Mohammed on Wednesday ordered parties in the suit not to take steps that would affect the res (subject) of the suit.

    The Court restrained the National Assembly from further action on amendment of the Electoral Act pending the determination of a suit filed before it by Accord Party.

    It further ordered parties to the suit to maintain status quo antebellum, at least between now and the next adjourned date, Tuesday.

    The Senate said that it was wrong for the court to stop the National Assembly from taking further action on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a Point of Order raised by the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio on the court order.

    Akpabio said: “I have perused the Constitution and I cannot see anywhere that the court has the power to stop the proceedings of the Senate.

    “If this is allowed, it therefore means that in future the court can stop the National Assembly from appropriating and the country will have no budget for that year.

    “Separation of powers is a core of democracy so there is need for the Chief Justice to caution legal officers on issuing such orders geared towards interfering with other arms of government.’’

    Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan said “Institutions should rather do things that should enhance our democracy. The issue at stake does not require court intervention because this is democracy at work. The court should hands off what we do in the National assembly. it is when we have finished and we have a law that the court feels that there are issues that they can interpret.’’

    The Senate leader added that though he voted against the Bill, the time was not ripe for the court to come into the matter when a law had not been made for its interpretation.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki  “The issue is clear and the principle is clear; what is important is building democracy and building our institutions.

    “We will come and go but the institutions will remain. So it is imperative that everybody must work towards sustaining the institutions. We will express our concern to the Chief Justice of Nigeria.’’

    When the matter was put to vote, it was overwhelmingly supported.

  • Senate passes National Transport Commission Bill

    THE Senate yesterday passed the National Transport Commission Bill after its third reading.

    The bill was sponsored for the first time in 2008 but could not be passed by the Seventh Senate due to its complex nature.

    Its current version was sponsored by Senator Andy Uba, and was read for the second time on the floor of the Senate on October 7, 2015, after which the Senate referred it to its Joint Committee on Land Transport, Marine Transport and Aviation Transport, chaired by Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East).

    The committee held interactive sessions with stakeholders in the transport industry to evaluate the bill. They also staged a public hearing to enable them handle the bill before it was presented for the third reading.

    Ashafa lauded the development, having worked assiduously with other committee members and stakeholders to ensure it is passed.

    He said: “The National Transport Commission Bill, when signed into law, is capable of setting the transport sector on the path of positive development. With this bill, we would successfully create a multi-modal economic and safety oversight regulator for the transport sector. This is very good for business as it brings standard and structure to the sector, while also increasing government’s revenue.

    “The Joint Senate Committee worked with the understanding that this is one of the important Economic Bills of the eighth Senate and, therefore, ensured that all inputs from stakeholders were considered and the best possible version of the bill presented.”

     

  • Senators urge FG to tackle insecurity

    Senators on Thursday told the Federal Government to take immediate steps to tackle increasing insecurity in parts of the country.

    The lawmakers specifically warned that the country would become a failed state if speedy measures are not taken to address the wanton destruction of lives and property in parts of the country.

    The senators’ remarks followed a motion of national urgent importance raised by Senator Atai Ali Aidoko (Kogi East) on the killing of 32 people in Omale and Dekina local government areas of Kogi State.

    Aidoko told his colleagues that the victims were slaughtered on Wednesday in most gruesome manner.

    The Kogi East lawmaker said 20 people were killed in Ogane-Enugu community in Dekina, while 12 others were killed in Agbejukolo and Agbenema communities in Omala LGA.

    He said: “Despite continued condemnation of killings in many parts of the country, perpetrators of this dastardly act have not been arrested. I want this Senate to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to direct security agencies to bring the situation under control by arresting the perpetrators and ensure that they are prosecuted. These killings are taking another dimension as the killers also amputate peoples’ hands and leave them to go. That is purely genocide which has crept into the killings.”

    Senate Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa) in his contribution noted that there was no doubt the country was gradually becoming a failed state.

    Paulker added that there was equally no doubt that the government has lost count of the number of Nigerians killed every day by armed herdsmen.

    He warned that if urgent measures are not taken to address the grave situation, the country would run into serious crisis.

    Paulker said that policing of communities should be taken serious in the interest of Nigerians.

    Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, who also contributed to the topic, noted that the Senate should work closely with the executive to salvage the situation.

    Lawan, who just returned from Zamfara State where he toured crisis -hit areas, said the effectiveness of security agencies in combating crime in the country should be improved.

    Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe in his contribution blamed President Buhari for alleged inaction.

    The Abia South lawmaker said it was obvious that the President is not in charge of the security situation in the country.

    Abaribe also frowned at the President’s “frequent bulk passing and trading in blame game.”

    He said President Buhari does not take responsibility whenever anything goes wrong in the country.

    Abaribe noted that as Commander-In-Chief, President Buhari should coordinate the fight against activities of herdsmen.

    He said: “The President is always passing blames. He blames every other person, but himself. He tells us every time that he does not know what is happening in the country. How can a President utter such words?

    “If the President does not know what is happening in a country like Nigeria, how can we be safe? We should call the President to order and tell him to do the job he was elected to do. He should stop claiming that he does not know what is happening and do the needful.”

    It was obvious that Abaribe’s remarks did not go down well with some of his colleagues, especially members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Abaribe was interjected twice during his contribution on the matter.

  • Senate writes CJN over alleged frivolous order on election sequence Bill

    The Senate Thursday resolved to write the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN) Justice Walter Onoghene, over alleged excesses of some judicial officers in cases involving arms of government.

    The upper chamber specifically decided to draw the attention of the CJN to the ruling of an Abuja Federal High presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed which restrained the National Assembly from overriding President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the amendment of the Electoral Act, 2018.

    THE Bill seeks to alter the sequence of elections in the country by placing National Assembly election first and the presidential election last in the order of elections in the country.

    Justice Mohammed on Wednesday ordered parties in the suit not to take steps that would affect the res (subject) of the suit.

    The Court restrained the National Assembly from further action on amendment of the Electoral Act pending the determination of a suit filed before it by Accord Party (AP).

    It further ordered parties to the suit to maintain status quo antebellum, at least between now and the next adjourned date, Tuesday.

    The Senate said that it was wrong for the court to stop the National Assembly from taking further action on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a Point of Order raised by the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio on the court order.

    Akpabio prayed the Senate to urgently write the CJN to draw his attention to the dissatisfaction of the chamber to the court ruling especially as it has to do with the principle of separation of powers.

    Akpabio insisted that the issue at play had to do with due process and separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    He said, “I have perused the Constitution and I cannot see anywhere that the court has the power to stop the proceedings of the Senate.

    “If this is allowed, it therefore means that in future the court can stop the National Assembly from appropriating and the country will have no budget for that year.

    “Separation of powers is a core of democracy so there is need for the Chief Justice to caution legal officers on issuing such orders geared towards interfering with other arms of government.’’

    Senate Leader, Senator. Ahmed Lawan in his contribution noted that amending the Electoral Act does not require court intervention.

    Lawan said, “Institutions should rather do things that should enhance our democracy. The issue at stake does not require court intervention because this is democracy at work. The court should hands off what we do in the National assembly. It is when we have finished and we have a law that the court feels that there are issues that they can interpret.’’

    The Senate leader added that though he voted against the Bill, the time was not ripe for the court to come into the matter when a law has not been made for its interpretation.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki in his remarks underscored the need for every arm of government to function in accordance with the principle of separation of powers.

    Saraki said, “The issue is clear and the principle is clear; what is important is building democracy and building our institutions.

    “We will come and go but the institutions will remain. So it is imperative that everybody must work towards sustaining the institutions. We will express our concern to the Chief Justice of Nigeria.’’

    When the matter was put to vote, it was overwhelmingly supported.

    Read Also: Election sequence: Omo-Agege begs Senate over ‘offensive’ comments

  • Election sequence: Court stops Senate, Reps

    The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the National Assembly and other parties to a suit challenging the legitimacy of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018 taking any steps in relation to the Bill pending the next hearing in the case.

    The Bill, which seeks to alter the sequence of election as earlier announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as it relates to the 2019 general elections , was rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari. His letter declining assent was read at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

    Justice Ahmed Mohammed, in a ruling yesterday, ordered parties in the suit not to take steps that could affect the res (subject) of the suit.

    Justice Mohammed’s ruling followed an oral application by plaintiff’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who urged the court to make a preservative order to protect the res when it became obvious that his client’s motion was not ripe for hearing and the lawyer representing the National Assembly would not give an undertaking.

    Yesterday, Olanipekun informed the court about his client’s pending motion for interlocutory injunction for a restraining order against the National Assembly.

    National Assembly’s lawyer Chinelo Ogbozor, objected to the hearing of the plaintiff’s motion on the grounds that it was not ripe for hearing.

    Ogbozor urged the court to adjourn the case as she was only served on Monday and needed time to respond to the application.

    Olanipekun then prayed the court to direct Ogbozor to give an undertaking that her client would not take any step in relation to the Bill pending the hearing of the plaintiff’s interlocutory motion for injunction.

    Again, Ogbozor objected. She declined to give any undertaking and insisted that her client could not be put under any such pressure since they were still within time required by law to respond to the motion.

    Olanipekun then made the oral application, urging the court to “make a preservative order to preserve the res of the matter” pending the next adjourned date.

    He expressed concern that there could be constitutional crisis should the National Assembly decide to invoke its powers under Section 58(5) of the Constitution to override the President’s withholding of assent.

    Responding, Ogbozor contended that granting the plaintiff’s oral application would amount to denying her client a fair hearing.

    She insisted that her client was still within time to respond to the same prayer as being sought in the plaintiff’s motion for interlocutory injunction.

    Ogbozor argued that granting the plaintiff’s prayer would amount to undue interference with an arm of government.

    The second respondent, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), was not represented by any lawyer.

    Lawyer to the third rd respondent – Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – Taminu Inuwa, said he had no objection to Olanipekun’s oral application.

    In his ruling, Justice Mohammed agreed that the National Assembly was entitled to respond to the plaintiff’s motion for interlocutory injunction.

    The judge said: “Apparently the motion on notice cannot be heard today because the 1st defendant still needs time to respond to the application.

    “The court should ordinarily adjourn the case. But, however, the plaintiff  has referred us to the provisions of section 58(5) of the 1999 Constitution which stirs apprehension if the 1st defendant decides to move its powers provided in section 58(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999,” he noted.

    Justice Mohammed said the President having withheld his assent and the Constitution having not provided the time frame within which the National Assembly might override the President’s veto, it implied that the National Assembly could take the step anytime.

    He said: “What if the court adjourns the matter for the hearing of the plaintiff’s motion for interlocutory injunction and the 1st defendant decides to convene tomorrow (Thursday) and pass the Bill by two-thirds majority, what will the plaintiff be coming back to do in respect of this matter?”

    The judge said the National Assembly would not suffer any prejudice if it was restrained from taking steps on the bill on the before the next adjourned date.

    He added: “It is hereby directed that parties shall maintain status quo ante bellum at least between now and the next adjourned date.”

    The judge equally ordered that hearing notice be served on the AGF  for the next hearing date.

    He adjourned to March 20 for the hearing of the motion for the interlocutory injunction.

    By the suit, AP wants among others, a declaration that the amendment to the Electoral Act 2010 (introducing a new Clause 25) just passed by the National Assembly which prescribes the sequence/order in which the general elections of President and Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Governor and Deputy Governor of a state, membership of the Senate, the House of Representives, and the House of Assembly of each state of the federation should take place is in conflict or has interfered or curtailed the power, right and discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission generally and in particular, in respect of the schedule or sequence of the 2019 general elections.”

    It is also praying for an order setting aside Clause 25 of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

    The plaintiff also wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria represented by the AGF from assenting to the bill, and another “restraining the 1st defendant  (National Assembly) from passing into law by a two-thirds majority, or any majority at all, the said bill as already passed by it”.

  • Senate summons Monguno, Malami over plan to outlaw vigilante in Kogi

    The Senate on Wednesday summoned the National Security Adviser, Maj. General Babagana Monguno (retd)  and the Attorney General of the Federal (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over plan to disband vigilante group in Kogi State.

    The Senate mandated its Committee on National Security and Intelligence and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to invite Monguno and Malami to explain the reasons behind the plan to outlaw vigilante group in Kogi State.

    A similar proposal to disband vigilante group in Rivers State failed after Senate President, Bukola Saraki put the proposal to vote.

    The resolution to disband vigilante group in Kogi State followed a motion of national urgent importance presented by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West).

    Melaye in his lead debate claimed that the Kogi State Government was planning to introduce state police in the state through the back door.

    He said: “I bring to the Senate a law passed by Kogi and signed into law by the governor about the establishment service.

    “Mr. President, I heard that it is a law of the government and when I went through this law, the law is in conflict with the constitution of Nigeria. This law alters the Nigeria Police Force as stipulated in section 214 of the constitution.

    “It is a fact that states can make laws through the State House of Assembly. But the law they make must not be in conflict with the constitution. I seek your indulgence to read a section of the law passed by Kogi State Government it reads: “The vigilante group will be involved in the prevention and detection of crimes, apprehension of criminals, preserving law and order, protection of lives and property and will assist other paramilitary agencies in the discharge of their duty.”

     

     

  • Anxiety in Senate, House as Buhari rejects polls bill

    Senators seek legal opinion    

    Bill ‘infringes on Constitution’

    There was anxiety in the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday following President Muhammadu Buhari’s rejection of the bill on the reordering of the 2019 election sequence.

    The Senate and the House on February 14 adopted the conference report of the Electoral Act amendment.

    Unlike what is in the Electoral Act in which elections will hold on two legs: Presidential/ National Assembly and Governorship/ State Assemblies, the amendment is a three-leg process; National Assembly, Governorship /Assemblies and Presidential.

    But the President, in a correspondence to the lawmakers – which was read on the floors yesterday – declined assent to the bill.

    The presidential letter entitled “Presidential decision to withhold assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill 2018” reads: “Pursuant to Section 58(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the Senate my decision on 3rd March 2018 to decline Presidential Assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill 2018 recently passed by the National Assembly.

    “Some of my reasons include the following:

    “A.The amendment to the sequence of elections in Section 25 of the principal act may infringe upon the constitutionally guaranteed discretion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise, undertake and supervise elections provided in Section 15(A) of the third statue to the Constitution;

    “B.The amend to Section 138 of the principal act to delete two crucial grounds upon which an election may be challenged by candidates, unduly limits the rights of candidates in elections to a free and fair electoral review process;

    “C. The amendment to Section 152(3)-(5) of the Principal Act may raise Constitutional issues over the competence of the National Assembly to legislate over local government elections.”

    Before Senate President Bukola Saraki read the letter, senators went into an executive session.

    He read the letter at the plenary convened after the closed session. Thereafter, there were no comments.

    After Speaker Yakubu Dogara read the letter in the House of Representatives, there were also no comments.

    This is the second major bill that the President has declined to sign in the last one month, the first being the Peace Corps Bill.

    It was learnt that at the executive session, senators resolved to seek advice from the legal department on the issues raised by President Buhari for withholding his assent to the amendment of the Electoral Act Bill.

    A source said that the next line of action would largely depend on the advice from the legal department.

    The source said: “If the advice turns out that the reasons given by President Buhari to decline assent on the Bill were not cogent enough, we will surely mobilise to override the President.”

    Some senators, he said, “are already of the view that we should go ahead and override the president.” The Senate requires 74 members to take that step.

    Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) told reporters that the Senate would do “the needful” because it believed that what the National Assembly did was in the best interest of the country.

    But another ranking senator dismissed Abaribe’s claim.

    He said: ”The President’s action was expected. Many of us felt it (the sequence) should not be altered.  Many APC members are not for reordering of elections clearly this time around and there are sympathisers in the PDP.

    “We felt that it will be money-guzzling and where will the funding come from? The position of the Senate on the development would soon be made known.

    “The issue of veto is not as smooth as the people say it. If there is a stalemate on any matter, it will be put into vote. It is then everyone will answer his father’s name.”

    Following the bill’s passage, some senators, led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, stormed out of the chamber to fault the amendment.

    The group of nine senators also claimed that President Buhari was the target of the amendment and vowed that it would not stand.

    Some commentators have also risen to fault the amendment and threatened to challenge it in court.

     

  • Senate makes u-turn on Buhari nominees

    •To confirm CBN board members

    The Senate yesterday shifted ground on its resolution not to consider presidential nominees that are not expressly listed in the Constitution.

    The lawmakers resolved to consider the nomination of two Deputy Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Aisha Ahmed and Edward Adamu.

    It is also to screen and confirm the nomination of four other members of the CBN’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

    The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance by Senator Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South).

    The motion was promptly supported by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah who asked the Senate to go ahead and consider, screen and confirm the nominees in the interest of the  economy.

    Ibrahim, relying on Order 42 and 52 (matter of urgent national importance), underscored the necessity for the Senate to look beyond its resolution on confirmation of presidential nominees to screen and confirm the CBN board members.

    He said, “I rise on the issue pertaining to a very significant aspect of the country’s economy knowing from inception of the 8th Senate that the 8th Senate is pro-economy and pro-foreign direct investment.

    “We are all aware that in January, because of the resolution of this Senate that all confirmation according to all Acts of the National Assembly pending with us should be suspended forthwith.

    ”I rise to ask that the Senate do consider the possibility of us taking the very important aspect of the economy which is the Monetary Policy Committee. The MPC is made up of 12 members; about seven from the private sector and five inside the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    ”As at today, only three of them are valid. Almost all other members, their tenure expired in December last year and culminated into the MPC meeting not being held in January (22nd and 23rd) and the next meeting is March 19 &20.

    ”I want to appeal to our colleagues, we have three requests regarding the board of the Central Bank; two deputy governors who are also members of MPC and MPC members who are majorly in the private sector.

    “MPC is a creation of the CBN Act which is autonomous. It is not run by the board of Central Bank but each meeting is very important to the economy. As it is today, it’s already affecting the foreign direct investment in Nigeria. Some foreign portfolio investments are already leaving, some that are supposed to come, are not coming.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki directed the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Rafiu Ibrahim, to screen the nominees and present a report to the Senate for the confirmation of the nominees.

  • MPC quorum: Senate considers CBN nominees

    The Senate has resolved to screen President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominees for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The resolution of the Senate followed a motion sponsored by Rafiu Ibrahim, senator representing Kwara south.

    If confirmed, the all-important Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will hold its first meeting in 2018.

    The committee was not able to meet in January because it could not form quorum as a result of the Senate’s refusal to confirm nominees for the 12-man committee.

    The review of economic and financial conditions in the economy and determining appropriate stance of policy in the short to medium term are among the functions of the MPC.

    Speaking on the floor the Senate yesterday, Ibrahim said the failure of the MPC to meet has affected foreign direct investment (FDI) to Nigeria.

    “I rise on the issue pertaining to a very significant aspect of the country’s economy, knowing that the 8th Senate is pro-economy, pro-foreign direct investment, pro-foreign controlling investment.

    “I rise to ask that the Senate do consider the possibility of us taking the very important aspect of the economy which is the monetary policy committee. The MPC is made up of 12 members; about seven from the private sector and five inside the central bank.

    “As of today, only three of them are valid. Almost all other members, their tenure expired in December last year and culminated in the MPC meeting not being held in January (22nd and 23rd) and the next meeting is March 19 &20.