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Tag: Senate

  • Senate to probe Bello’s ‘double registration’

    Senate to probe Bello’s ‘double registration’

    The Senate yesterday resolved to investigate allegations of double registration levelled against Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

    The resolution followed an observation by Senator Mohammed Hassan (Yobe South).

    Hassan said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed the allegation at a news conference. But it was reported that Bello could not be prosecuted because of his immunity, he added.

    He prayed the Senate to look into the matter.

    “There is this story going round regarding the governor of Kogi State. It was reported recently that he was involved in double registration.

    “Some days or weeks after, INEC addressed a news conference where it confirmed the allegation and sacked three of its workers.

    “Now, we are concerned again; it was reported that Bello had been issued another voters’ card from another ward. We are concerned about this, and I think it is very important that the Senate Committee on INEC investigates the matter.

    “It was reported that he cannot be prosecuted because he has immunity, but for the purpose of getting this picture right, I think the Senate Committee on INEC should investigate this and get this matter right.”

    Senate President Bukola Saraki described the allegation as important and directed the Committee on INEC to look into the matter.

    “The issue you’re talking about is important because the stability of our democracy depends on the credibility of our electoral processes.

    “And as such, we must ensure that the processes are always what we can be proud of, especially now that countries all over are looking up to us.

    “I am happy that the Chairman of INEC is here. It is something he could look into and come back to tell us where the issue is.”

  • Madumere rejects Okorocha’s Senate offer

    Madumere rejects Okorocha’s Senate offer

    •‘I can’t jettison my ambition’

    Imo State Deputy Governor Eze Madumere has rejected Governor Rochas Okorocha’s offer that he should contest for the Imo East Senatorial election in 2019.

    Okorocha asked his deputy to vie for the Senate instead of the governorship, to pave way for his Chief of Staff and son in-law, Uche Nwosu, who he has endorsed as his successor.

    But Madumere, who is from Owerri zone which has not produced a governor since 1999, insisted that he is determined to contest for the governorship.

    He vowed that there is no going back on the decision, saying the ambition is not just about him, but the entire Owerri zone which has been sidelined and marginalised.

    Madumere, in a statement by Chief Press Secretary, Uche Onwuchekwa, said he has chosen his path towards realising “God’s given vision to better the lot of Imolites”. He added that his fate “is in no man’s hands”.

  • Senate to probe non-passage of Disability Rights Bill

    Senate to probe non-passage of Disability Rights Bill

    The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has promised to probe those behind the delay in the passage of Disability Rights Bill to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The bill is to ensure full integration of Nigerians with disabilities into the society and eliminate all forms of discrimination against them.

    Saraki in a Facebook post said, “Today, ahead of my courtesy call with the Kpakpando Foundation for Physically Challenges Persons, led by its Founder and Chairman, Senator Osita Izunaso, I called the Clerk to find out about the status of the ‘Discrimination Against Persons Living with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill, which is also known as the Disability Rights Bill.

    “I was very disappointed to learn that due to some administrative mishaps, this Bill, which passed both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and should have already been on the President’s desk for his signature, has failed to make its way out of the National Assembly system. I have therefore directed the Clerk to query all involved.”

    Disability Rights Bill

    Stressing the importance and fierce urgency with which the bill should be treated, he said, “make no mistake, both the Senate and the House feel very strongly about the impact of this Bill. This is because its passage will further empower people living with disabilities (PLWDs) and ensure that they are not discriminated against in anyway.

    “Moving forward, I would like to make this promise: 30 days from today, this Bill will be sent to Mr. President for his assent.

    “We will fast-track the harmonization process in both houses, because there is no doubt that once this Bill is passed, it will transform the lives of millions of Nigerians across the country, hence, the sooner that we start implementing the act, the better for all of us.”

  • Senate threatens to pass 2018 budget without MDAs’ inputs

    Senate threatens to pass 2018 budget without MDAs’ inputs

    The Senate on Wednesday threatened to pass the 2018 budget without submissions from recalcitrant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    This threat followed the observation by the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Sunny Ogbuoji.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had asked Ogbuoji to tell the Senate the position of the 2018 Appropriation Bill whose implementation should have started on January 1.

    Ogbuoji informed the Senate that majority of MDAs refused to turn up for their budget defence as required by law.

    He noted that due to the failure of the MDAs to appear for budget defence, the budget report that could have been presented for consideration was not ready.

    He said: “Majority of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are not coming forward to interface with the standing committees. Some of the ministers will tell you they have a team, they are going outside the country and because of that the MDAs are not fully ready.

    “So we don’t have the reports yet. We believe that when the MDAs come forward, our colleagues will be able to finish their work.

    “Some of the committees are unable to do their work. When the committees screened what they brought, they will ask them to go back to us but they don’t come back.

    ‘That is really delaying the work for majority of the standing committees and that is why up till today, we don’t have a comprehensive report on the budget.”

    Saraki, who expressed disappointment with the attitude of the MDAs, said the Senate was prepared to conclude work on the 2018 Appropriation Bill to ensure its passage.

     

     

  • Senate, AGF in fresh feud over NHRC chief

    Senate, AGF in fresh feud over NHRC chief

    The Senate on Wednesday mandated its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged resumption of the Executive Secretary of National Human Rights Commission {NHRC}, Anthony Ojukwu, without confirmation.

    The Senate mandate follows a Point of Order raised by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West), drawing attention of the upper chamber to the alleged resumption of NHRC boss without its approval.

    Melaye told the Senate that he heard that the Attorney -General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, allegedly ordered Ojukwu to resume office in contravention of the Civil Service Rules and the Act establishing the Commission.

    Melaye insisted that Malami’s action was an affront on the authority of the Senate.

    He noted that it was not the first time the AGF would call the bluff of the Senate.

    The Kogi West senator asked the Senate to henceforth disqualify nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari who resume office without confirmation.

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, directed Committee on Justice, Human Rights and Legal Matters chaired by Senator David Umaru (Niger East) to quickly look into the matter with a view to verifying the authenticity or otherwise of the allegations against the AGF.

    The Senate said that it would not take it lightly the growing penchant of the President’s nominees to resume office without its confirmation.

    It asked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to ensure that the growing disregard of Senate powers does not become the norm.

     

  • Obanikoro: Why I want to return to Senate

    Obanikoro: Why I want to return to Senate

    Former Minister of State for Defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The former Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana spoke with Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU on his senatorial ambition in the Lagos West District, the Ambode administration, national security, restructuring and reconciliation in the ruling party. 

    What calculation led to your defection from the PDP to the APC?

    I figure out that you will start the interview this way. But, let me say that, as far as I am concerned, this is home coming for me. I went on a journey and I am glad that I did. There is a Yoruba saying that bo’mode o ba de oko oloko ri, a so pe oko baba oun to tobi ju. That a child who never visited a far outside his father’s farm will assume that the biggest farm around belongs to his father. Outside that jurisdiction, there must be thousand, if not millions, of farms. With the limited exposure, you will think what you have is the best. I left the family to interact with another family; to realise how important what we have in Lagos is and how important it is for us to protect it. So, my primary concern at the moment is how to preserve what we have in Lagos.

    Around 2005 or thereabout, when you left the AD for the PDP, you also said you have come back home…

    I never said that. I am a strong believer in Awolowo politics. In fact, I came from a family that worshipped Chief Obafemi Awolowo. I left the shores of Nigeria with Awolowo’s progressive ideas. So, there is no way I would have called the PDP my home. I am a progressive-minded person. For me, this is my natural habitat.

    Some people have the feeling that you deliberately returned to the APC to escape prosecution for your activities as a PDP chieftain…

    Let me first of all say that I have not committed any crime to warrant being prosecuted. The truth of the matter is that people, for political convenience, will say anything just to malign and reduce your stature for their own political interest. All we did was to play politics and there is no politician in this country today that can claim to be immune from what you can call using government resources for political interests. Politicians in Nigeria are guilty of that. Of recent, South Africa, in order to stop that, came up with a law that made it Mandatory for all political parties to declare every donation made to them. Until we get to that level in Nigeria, we will still have this challenge. But, I can beat my chest to say that I was not given a contract to be executed; I didn’t give out ant contract throughout my stay as a minister. Talking about using my position to divert contract money did not happen under my watch. I stand tall to say that whatever people may be saying, if they look at the mirror, they will see themselves there.

    Upon reflection, would you say there is no regret taking the step you took by going to the PDP?

    Given my level of exposure, my age at that time, my aspiration at that time, I would have done it over again. But, with the benefit of hindsight now, with my age, I would have done it differently. There are certain things that only age, no matter how brilliant you are, how wealthy you are, it is age that will take certain things away. I do believe that, at my age now, the only thing I want to do is to add value to the society in a progressive and stable manner.

    If the APC had not become a ruling party, would you have returned to the party?

    Well, let me say that the politics of Nigeria would have compelled me to return. I am more committed to Lagos and Southwest now more than before in my life. That’s what I was talking to you about, that if you don’t leave your father’s farm to visit another farm, you will not have the proper insight to see what is outside there. I have seen it all in this country and I know that the union we have in Nigeria today, the marriage that we have in Nigeria today, if it is not repackaged, as envisaged by the founding fathers of the country, we are going to run into a lot of mess as  nation. I have seen that. A new generation of Nigerians are growing up, not as Nigerians. They are growing up, seeing themselves through their ethnic nationalities. That is not the kind of nation that we want to build. So, until we reverse that trend, this country is sitting on a keg of gunpowder.

    Where do you now stand on the clamour for restructuring?

    I think we should do it. As far as I am concerned, whether you are saying rearrangement, redesigning, restructuring, it is all about true federalism. Every federating unit should have the autonomy to do certain things without being inhibited by the Federal Government. I think the present arrangement that we have is negatively affecting the progress of Nigeria. We are probably the only democracy in the world that got our constitution from the military. I stand to be corrected. I don’t know of any democracy operating a military constitution. And that is what we have in Nigeria today. We must take a very hard look on the constitution and do that which the coming generation will remember us as a generation that saved Nigeria.

    What impact is your defection likely to have on the PDP in Lagos State?

    I don’t want to join issues with anybody. The next election is coming. We will see. If I say something now, the PDP will say it is not possible. All I know is that, as far as Lagos is concerned, it is a one party state.

    Why has it been difficult for the PDP in Lagos State to get to power?

    Well, among other things, is too much crisis in the party. I am a very focused man. But, when you have a leadership that gets easily distracted, you can’t get far. And that is what you cannot take away from Asiwaju. He does not get distracted. And that is the difference between him and other ‘these other leaders.’

    You are known to be a politician from the Lagos Central. But, you are now going to Lagos West to contest for the Senate. What is responsible for the change of political base?

    I will take you down memory lane. I am from the Obanikoro family. My father was from Idioluwo Ile and Ilase. He was from those three riverine areas. Our ancestors came from that area to Lagos Island hundred of years ago. We have not severed ties with our ancestral home. All along, we have been relating closely as families with them. I will also let you know that to the glory of God and by His grace, I was able to facilitate three millennium schools; one to Idioluwo-Ile in 2014, another one in Ikaare and the other one in Ilase.  I did these to promote education, which I know is very key, if that area is going to develop and compete with other parts of Lagos. I did these when I never envisaged that I will change my political constituency from the Central to the West. It is not just Obanikoro, a good number of Lagos Island families are from the West. They migrated many years ago to Lagos Island. It is not unique to us. It is a fact that is known to all native Lagosians.

    Are you shifting your base to the Lagos West because you think Senator Oluremi Tinubu may be re-contesting for the Senate in the Lagos Central?

    Well, I made up my mind to go back to my ancestral home, where my forefathers came from, just as I have returned home in the APC.

    Why do you want to return to the Senate?

    I want to commend Mrs. Tinubu for the great work she has done in the Senate; fighting for Lagos everyday, standing up, advancing the cause of Lagos. Ditto the other two senators. Given the knowledge and exposure that I have acquired in the last 10 or 12 years, I believe I am better positioned to represent Lagos State now. Having served as an ambassador, chairman of a federal parastatal, minster twice, I belive I am well positioned to make those things happen that will add value to Lagos and create the kind of partnership that Lagos needs to go to the next level. The governor of Lagos has said that he is moving Lagos State from a mega city to a smart city. He can’t do it all alone. All of us must support the good work that he is doing. When you look at the Lagos of today, you have to go back to 1979 through 1983, to what Alhaji Lateef Jakande did. That’s what made Lagos what it is today; opening up Lekki, creating LASU, creating LASPTECH. Television station; almost everything that you have today. God now gave us Asiwaju who created a different vision for Lagos, in terms of enhancing what Alhaji Jakande and a host of others did to make Lagos a very unique and the most prosperous state in Nigeria. With the kind of stability and visionary leadership that Asiwaju has provided, we can see that there is no state in this country that is even close in terms of development and stability that you can compare to Lagos. It is probably the only state in Nigeria that can do without federal allocation and survive. They did it before. The state is a better position to handle its business without the Federal Government. All these did not happen overnight. It took a lot of commitment, planning, hard work to get Lagos to where it is today. At my age, the only thing left for me now is to allow that stability that Asiwaju has created and the visionary leadership he has created to be enhanced.

    Is a big fight not imminent in Lagos West as there are also speculations that, your friend, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State is also interested in the senatorial seat?

    All these things are still in the realm of speculation. The governor of Osun will complete his tenure of office in November. I am sure that there are a number of options before him. So, I do not believe any position is a do or die, or life and death matter, for any one of us. We are no longer in our forties. If any of us to spend half of our age now, it is a lot of grace from the Almighty. So, it is wrong to kill ourselves in the name of positions when the larger part of our years in life has already been spent. So, I do not believe that this contest is a contest that will degenerate to what you are envisaging. It is a family affair. At the appropriate time, the right thing will be done to ensure that the right thing is done. If there is any legacy that stands tall among all the legacies that Asiwaju left in Lagos, creating stability and continuity rank high. And it is not in our place to come and mess that up.

    If you become a senator again, will that not be a prelude to re-launching your long standing governorship ambition in Lagos State?

    My mum used to say one thing when she was alive. She will say: emi ti o ni d’ola, to nda osu mejila. Who knows tomorrow? Tomorrow belongs to the Almighty God. This Senate thing we are talking about belongs to Him. We are alive now; that’s why we are talking about it. Nobody knows what tomorrow will hold. And to now jump to 2023, I think it is taking it too far. As far as I am concerned, I will enjoy the moment, representing the good people of Lagos State from Lagos West. That is sufficient to stretch any energetic or any committed person. It is the largest senatorial district in terms of population in the whole of Nigeria. So, there is a lot to do. Let me restrict myself to that challenge, instead of thinking far ahead about what is not necessary. My intention is to represent Lagos State from Lagos West, add value to what Asiwaju has done, the leadership he has provided. That’s all I am interested in now. I am also looking forward to see the Southwest becoming the trite state in the United States of America, New Jersey and Connecticut.  If we have the kind of collaboration among these three states in the Southwest, that will be my joy.

    What is your reaction to the multiple endorsements for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for a second term?

    I think Ambode has done a good job managing the affairs of Lagos. He deserves a second term. My prayer is that he will take a quantum leap in terms of achievement in his second term. If he does that, he will rank among the class of Alhaji Jakande, Asiwaju Tinubu and others. He will join the elitist club of those who have governed Lagos successfully. That is my prayer for him. My advice is that he should keep his eyes on the ball. He should not get distracted. He should ensure that the focus he has brought to bear on his first term should be further enhanced in his second term. I believe he has the capacity to always deliver.

    As a former Minister of State for Defense, how can Nigeria grapple with the security challenge?

    It is unfortunate that as we are abating the issue of Boko Haram, we are facing the issue of herdsmen and bandits. It is very said. It is also a function of the lack of capacity at the local level, state level and to some extent at the federal level. If you look at the local government, they are incapacitated. They can’t do much. It is like all they do is to pay salaries and go home. We need to devolve more powers to the states because of their proximity to the people so that they will not always run to the Federal Government to solve their challenges. I studied in the US. When I was in school, we had campus police. Then, you had city police, county police, borough police, state police and MBI on top of all that. Before MBI is brought into any matter, the city, county would have sufficiently taken care of it in most cases. But, in our own case, we turn to the federal agencies. Now, we have even turned the military into a local police. Any issue now, the military are drafted into it, which is not supposed to be. So, I think there is need for true federalism. The Federal Government is even overwhelmed.

    What is your advice to the APC family as your leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is trying to reconcile the aggrieved chieftains?

    They have a lesson to learn from the party they took power from. If there are issues within the party and they are not resolved, what you are doing, in essence, is pushing power away from your party. I am sure the actors don’t want to lose. If you lose, you become sober and you realise how stupid you have been by being unnecessarily heady. So, I think that Asiwaju is leading this type of effort gives a lot of hope that things can still be re-connected. I am praying strongly that commonsense will prevail at the end of the day. I am happy that Asiwaju is taking up that huge, herculean responsibility of uniting the factions and aggrieved chieftains in the party.

     

  • $16bn Egina probe: Senate warns against sabotage

    The Senate has asked foreign firms investing in Nigeria to desist from any activities that will shortchange the country and its people in their investment drive.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Local Content Senator Solomon Adeola (Lagos West) gave the advice  at the weekend when Managing Director of SAIPEM Contracting Nigeria Limited Mr. Guido D’ Aloisio appeared before the investigative committee with  the firm’s legal counsel, Chief Henry Ajumogobia (SAN).

    A statement by the Media Adviser to Adeola, Chief Kayode Odunaro in Abuja said the senator spoke at the ongoing Senate investigation into the cost variations and local content elements of the $16 Billion Egina Deep-sea Oil production.

    It quoted Adeola to have said: “No individual or corporate body should stampede us as a country to do what is not obtainable in their country or in accordance to international best practices.”

    Adeola was also said to have added that it was because investment in the country was profitable that foreign investors make huge investment as in the case of Egina project.

    The statement said SAIPEM Contracting Nigeria Limited MD appeared before the committee with the firm’s legal counsel to explained that he was in the best position with the” Power of Attorney” to provide answers to the Senate Committee on behalf of the managing directors of three foreign companies – SAIPEM SA, SAIPEM Portugal and SAIPEM BV – all part of a consortium that got $2.9 billion – varied to $3.2 billion – contract of the Egina $16 billion project.

    It explained that Senate had earlier given an ultimatum for the managing directors to appear before its investigative committee in person.

    The statement added that on D’Aloisio explanation that he was in the best position to provide all evidences requested by the committee as the contract was signed by proxy and the foreign MDs may not know some details, Adeola said that the “Power of Attorney” document be submitted.

    It said that Adeola insisted that “all documents relating to the foreign firms aspects of the contract, including scope of work, approved variations, dollar-naira differentials in contracts as well as the shares of each of the companies in the consortium should be submitted to the committee.

    The senator said: “While we are not accusing anyone of shady deals and nobody is on trial, we insist that all relevant documents be made available to the committee so that we can present a fair and comprehensive report to the Senate for it to take decision to protect Nigeria’s interest and Nigerians. As it is, we have uncovered huge variations running up to a billion dollars as well as serial contraventions of the Nigeria Local Content Law 2010.”

    Calling on the media not to draw any conclusion of wrongdoings in their coverage of the committee’s proceedings as complained by the legal counsel of SAPIEM, Ajumogobia (SAN), Adeola noted that the reportage by the media must have been done in line of their duty to protect the interest of Nigeria.

    Chairman of the committee was also said to have directed the managing director of Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI) Mr. EJ Shin to provide evidence to justify his claims of taking away Nigeria jobs abroad from a Nigerian company, EWT Nigeria Limited, on the basis of late delivery and quality, a claim denied by the Nigerian firm present at the hearing.

    Adeola said an interim report of the findings of the committee so far will be submitted to Senate in plenary in about two weeks’ time.

  • Is Senate afraid of e-voting?

    Is Senate afraid of e-voting?

    In this piece, Senator Bunmi Adetunmbi, who represented Ekiti North District between 2011 and 2015 in the Senate, urges the National Assembly to consider the imperative of e-voting, instead of using the ‘voice vote’ to arrive at decisions.

    Some of the decision-making methods generally employed by parliaments all over the world include voice voting, rising voting, show of hands, roll call, e-voting. All except for voice voting, provides a means to directly measure the voting pattern of individual members of parliament. Since the inception of the 4 Assembly in 1999, the Senate has largely employed voice voting for practically all of its decisions with the notable exception of constitution amendment bills and rare cases of call for division. Majorly, “Say Aye” and “Say Nay” have been the voting habit, which sometime gets challenged and a call for division demanded by members who feel strongly that the Senate President, based on his discretionary interpretation of the relative decibel level of response, has not dispensed his judgement fairly.

    In his epochal and widely publicized legislative agenda, Senate President Bukola Saraki identified legislative best practices as one of the pillars of a comprehensive agenda at reforming the legislative business of government. Under this pillar, he promised an E-Parliament “using ICT in the regular conduct of legislative activities of the Senate, such that modern information communication tools will be used across the activities of the National Assembly” He went further to specifically declare that “the Senate will make e-voting a regular feature of Senate legislative business. The adoption of E-Voting is to clear any iota of doubt on the credibility of the voting process in the Senate. The method will ensure transparency and accountability thereby restoring the credibility of the voting activities in the system.” These are laudable initiatives and Dr. Bukola Saraki should be commended for offering these radial steps at reforming the way the business of the Senate is conducted.

    The recent passage of the harmonization report on the order of elections, which led to a walk out by 10 senators, brings to the fore the issue of transparency and public accountability in National assembly voting process. One wonders why despite the promised voting reforms of Senator President Bukola Saraki, some of the recent sensitive decisions of the Senate have been dogged with controversy and protests by aggrieved Senators that the Presiding Officer is undemocratic and nursing a hidden agenda. This is a serious allegation that could have been addressed if the proposed e-parliament envisaged by Senator Saraki had been implemented.

    Parliamentary vote by roll call to enumerate those that say “yea” or “nay”, on specific issues provides verifiable and empirical record on how parliament voted. It enables the general public, constituents and political parties to know how their representatives voted on issues of interest and concern to them. This form of transparent and open balloting system is considered the best for any deliberative and parliamentary assembly that is accountable and responsible to a constituency. Although Rule 73 of the Senate Proceedings provides for dissenting members to call for division to call for recorded votes, but under the proposed e-voting reform of Senate President Saraki, this should have been the rule of voting rather than the exception. I believe this is the anomaly that the laudable declaration of Senator Saraki intended to address and reverse at the onset of his Senate Presidency in June 2015. Unfortunately, this is yet to happen in the eighth assembly.

    There were many instances during the 7th Senate where I served, that I wished my choices on major issues were placed on record beyond the untraceable “Yeas or Nays have it” that characterized most of the decisions of that era. Only during constitution amendments and a call for division by Senator Babajide Omoworare of Osun State did I recall the use of recorded voting during my four-year tenure of 2011-2015. Calling for voting history of representatives to know their positions on important parliamentary debates is impossible as a result of this casual style of voting. This makes it practically impossible to assess the quality of representation and how much parliamentarians toe party lines on policies and electoral promises. Voice voting, in my view, should be limited to simple decisions such as adoption of record of proceedings and the likes. Other serious business of the parliament such as resolution of motions, passage of bills should be resolved through recorded voting.

    For a parliamentarian, the duty of representation, in my view, is superior to that of law making because you have to be elected first as a representative before being law maker, in other words, without being a representative, you cannot be a law maker. Therefore, as representative of constituencies, senators have the primary and sacred duty of advocating the priorities of their constituents and constantly balancing local and national interests, and providing the constituents feedback on the choices he or she makes on their behalf. This is the soft underbelly of democracy and can only be measured if voting records of representatives are recorded and open for scrutiny and compliance trail by those whose mandate he or she carries and the party that gave it expression. Part of the reasons for the current poor public perception of the National Assembly is largely due to poor understanding of their roles and the value attached to it. The e-voting reform initiative proposed by Senator Bukola Saraki, if implemented, will give the media more work to do by creating a wider agenda of issue-based discussion on the deliberations of parliament and specific roles of individual parliamentarians and clusters of partisan and multiparty interest groups. This way, we can further build public confidence in the institution and further demonstrate its value to our democracy as well as justify the cost of running parliament in a democracy.

    This is why Senator Saraki’s e-voting reform must be revisited to address a critical need for transparency in our legislative practice, boost the peoples’ confidence in the parliament and deepen our democratic culture. The public needs to be provided with relevant information to measure the quality of representation in the legislative chambers through transparent and responsible accounting of parliamentary votes. This is why, as much as practicable, voice voting should never be allowed to become the popular method for serious decision making in the legislative chambers. To the extent that it veils the voting identity of elected representatives, voice voting is fundamentally flawed and is a form of political corruption that should be discouraged in taking important decisions in the National Assembly. As it has played out in the current issue of the bill on the amendment of the timetable for the 2019 elections, e-voting would have established attendance, whether or not quorum was formed and how members wish to vote. Adoption of a voice call in such a sensitive issue is susceptible to controversies of the interpretational judgement of the Presiding Officer with the undesirable potential of promoting over time, the erosion of trust and confidence in the quality of decision emanating from leader of the deliberative assembly. Worse still, it helps to mask the face, muffle the voice and veil the choice made by each representative, this can promote indolence and non-transparent representation. It reduces public accountability on parliamentary decision to unacceptable minimum and provides undesirable cover for truancy on the part of some representatives.

    On the other hand, any other form of decision-making that maintains the record of individual choices provides transparent measure of the representative’s quality of decision making. It becomes easy to know how the choices made by each representative hurt or promote the interest of their constituents, supports or undermines the policy preferences of their political parties. Recorded decision-making tools also promote the emergence of ideological differentiation within the various parties in the assembly and brings into full public glare what side of issues their representatives stand on major social and economic policy debates.

    Luckily for us, our Senate and House of Representatives chambers have fully installed, functional e-voting systems which can easily be put to use to put names to votes and give specific identity to decisions in our National Assembly. It must be emphasized that e-voting is just another form of recorded voting that can promote decision integrity in NASS and make our Chambers truly hallowed. It follows logically that even if the e-voting system is not employed for whatever reason, manual recording is very possible, roll call, division and several other manual forms parliamentary vote recording exist that can be utilised.

    To improve on the quality of legislative representation and promote transparency and accountability at this critical stage of our democratic evolution, our Senate and House of Representatives must move away from the convenient but controversial voice voting to recorded voting. Every legislator should be identifiable with and account for the choices he or she makes on behalf of the general public, their constituents and the political parties that gave them electoral platform. It is on this score and in the interest of building the institution of parliament, that Senator Bukola Saraki should not abandon his original commitment to e-voting and thereby giving room for imputation of wrong personal motive or partisan interpretation to his role as Senate President. He owes it a duty to his tenure not to allow  drift of a noble mission, and in his own words, he owes the public a legacy that will “clear any iota of doubt on the credibility of the voting process in the Senate.” There is still time for him to make good this ennobling reform.

  • Senate seeks immediate end to NASU strike

    Senate seeks immediate end to NASU strike

    The Senate on Wednesday expressed concern at the lingering strike by members of Non- Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU).

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, mandated the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund to take up the challenge of bringing the striking workers to a roundtable to resolve issues at stake.

    Ekweremadu gave the mandate during the debate of an Act to establish the City University of Technology, Auchi, and for other connected matters Bill 2018.

    Senator Francis Alimikhena, (Edo North), who sponsored the Bill, sought the conversion of Auchi Polytechnic to a degree awarding institution.

    The Bill scaled second reading despite stiff opposition from Senator Sam Egwu that the Bill should be killed.

    On the NASU strike, Ekweremadu said: “We need to do something urgently about the NASU strike to ensure that we bring them back to their institutions. They have been on strike for a long time. The committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund should take the matter up and ensure that the workers go back to work. It has become a matter of urgent importance that something is done to get the workers back to work.”

     

     

  • Anger at Senate over demolition of house

    Anger at Senate over demolition of house

    SENATORS were angry yesterday over the demolition of a house belonging to the Senator representing Kaduna North, Suleiman Hunkuyi, by the state government.

    Senator Shehu Sani told his colleagues that Governor Nasir El-Rufai allegedly led a team of soldiers and policemen to 11, Sambo Road, Kaduna to demolish a house belonging to Hunkuyi.

    Sani noted that it had become obvious that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State “cannot accommodate somebody who has the tendencies of Adolf Hitler, Mobutu Sese Seko and Nebuchadnezzar.”

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, said that Sani’s report was not open to debate.

    Ekweremadu said, “This is not open to debate. We need to condemn this action. I send my sympathies to Hukunyi. This democracy has no place for tyranny and impunity. If we decide to go on the road of democracy, we must accept some of the things that come with it. One is the rule of law. If we have any grievances, we should use the courts.

    “This is why some Nigerians are opposed to the issue of immunity for public office holders. I think that this is something we need to watch. As we approach 2019 general elections, we must appeal to politicians not to overheat the polity and imperil our democracy. I hope this should be the last. Our courts can be trusted to deliver justice. We hope this will not happen again.”

    Sani told the Senate: “I stand to formally report something. As early as 4am on Tuesday, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State led a team of soldiers and policemen to Number 11, Sambo Road in the state. He supervised the demolition of our new APC office. The said property belongs to Senator Suleiman Hukunyi (Kaduna North).

    “This is coming one year after the same governor demolished a house belonging to the vice chairman of APC in North West, Abdulkadir. This is a series of brigandage and tyranny carried out by the governor against opposition voices.

    “Governor El-Rufai is an affliction on the Kaduna State. He is a curse to us. We want to call on Buhari to caution his son. If this crisis is not nipped in the bud, it will grow into something bigger. We in Kaduna State cannot accommodate somebody who has the tendencies of Adolf Hitler, Mobutu Sese Seko and Nebuchadnezzar.”

    Speaking to reporters in Abuja, Sen. Hunkuyi described the demolition as “bizarre, rare and unimaginable decisions”.

    “My property, which doubles as the state APC office in Kaduna is part of my contribution to the party; the structure of leadership of the party has been brought down.

    “This action was carried out with his supervision. I have no case, I have forgiven him as a person. I am not joining issues with him, and he is my brother.

    “There are concurrent issues that go with his act. What will he be doing at the site at that time of the day?

    “To me, if the intention is to shut Hunkuyi down, it has given me more reason to believe and stand strongly with majority of the electorate. This should not have happened but it has happened. Let that be an incident for growth of democracy in my constituency.

    “Should I bear the consequences of bringing him to leadership? Is it too much price to pay? People like that have no business in executive position.”