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Tag: SENATOR

  • Police receive 35 public complaints, arrest 66 in Kano

    The Kano State Police command said it received no fewer than 35 public complaints, while 66 defaulters were arrested and investigated from October 2017 till date.

    The Command’s Public Relations officer, SP Magaji Majiya, disclosed this in a statement in Kano on Monday.

    He said that the complaints ranged from corrupt practice, incivility, unprofessional conduct, assault, illegal road block and illegal detention to delving into civil matters.

    ” Twenty-three police officers, 28 ‘Karota’ personnel, 12 Special Constabulary, two VIOs and one FRSC were involved, ” Majiya said.

    According to him “the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, is determined to rid the force of corrupt practice and other unprofessional conducts by its officers and men”.

    Majiya said two units of X-Squad offices were established in Kano, each headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police under the supervision of Mr Rabiu Yusuf, Kano State Commissioner of Police.

    “From its inception in October 2017 , the Kano East X-Squad office was headed by ACP Naziru Kankarofi .

    ” The Squad is charged with receiving public complaints and positive criticism against members of the force. ”

    He assured members of the public that the command would continue to respect human rights and do away with all forms of corrupt practices in discharging its duty.

  • Senator advocates private, public partnership in ICT

    The Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District at the Senate, Senator Gbenga Ashafa has said collaborative efforts between private and public sectors are needed in order to improve Nigeria’s education standard.

    The lawmaker, who spoke during the inauguration of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre and blocks of classrooms at St. John Anglican School, Imota Lagos, said acquisition of ICT skills is necessary for quality education.

    He said the world was becoming a global village as a result of technological advancements made possible by the ICT. He stated that stakeholders in the education sector could no longer watch from the sidelines.

    The Senator expressed optimism that with the right education and ICT skills, Nigerian youths would make the country better in terms of socio-economic and political developments.

    He noted that the project would facilitate youths’ development, even as he called on stakeholders to complement Lagos State government’s efforts in its drive to reduce illiteracy.

    He said: “We are  aware that ICT rules the world now, and if we have youths who are not trained in the right skills, they will not be able to communicate well with their counterparts from other parts of the world.

    “This is particularly helpful where we have the first private university in the country; Caleb University. So, it will facilitate scholarly research and assist youths to sharpen their skills in ICT.

    “To this end, we are complementing the efforts of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode by having the technological hub in Yaba and locating new ones at Igbogbo and Imota.

    “The ICT centres are for people to learn while the blocks of classrooms will enhance the reading environment for the pupils.  This is part of my contributions to make life better for my constituents as I promised when I was vying for the position of Senator,” he said.

    He maintained that any society which ignores the development of its youths is doomed.

    “We are aware that education is priceless, but what is even inestimable is handing over valuable skills which will be relevant to the development of the young generation.

    “The world over, there is no doubt that the way to go is information technology. Therefore, I once again commit to you a responsibility to be much more ICT compliant.

    “Never forget that the gesture is in furtherance to the foundation laid down by our leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the consolidation of the efforts of Governor Ambode,” he said.

     

  • Senator backs APC on nomination fee for female aspirants

    Senator representing Adamawa North in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, Senator Binta Masi Garba has backed the decision of the leadership of the party to ask women to pay for their nomination form as against the previous idea of giving them a free ticket to contest for positions.
    Senator Garba who made history as the first woman party chairman in the country in 2014 when she emerged the APC Chairman in Adamawa state also threw her weight behind the clamour by the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari to have one female senator per state and one third of members of the House of Representatives as women.
    Speaking with newsmen after obtaining her nomination and expression of interest form to contest the party’s  primary for Senator Garba said it was better to have women pay for the nomination form, while the party should bear the cost of campaigning for the woman after the primaries.
    “I was one of those who moved that women should be allowed to pay for their form, while the party at the various levels should bear the logistics for the elections. It is not enough to give us free ticket and allow us to bear the logistics because the logistics involved in the real election is too heavy for the women to bear.
    “So, if we give them free ticket and allow them to bear the logistics, we will still be back to the same position. The best way to encourage women is to take over the logistics for the election. When we do that, I am sure that we will encourage many women to seek elective office because they will be confident going into the election.
    “The wife of the President is canvassing that we have at least one female senator per state. I think we should all support that. It is the only way we can achieve 35 percent female representation”, she said adding that she was humbled by the fact that she was the only female Senator in the entire 19 states of the north.
    Justifying why the APC in Adamawa settled for Indirect primary as against the direct primary suggested by the national leadership, Senator Garba said the security situation in the state does not favour the direct option.
    She disclosed that as a result of the activities of insurgents in her senatorial district, four wards in Madagali local government area of the state are still not occupied as residents who flee the area are yet to return home.
    While hoping for rancor free primaries, Senator Garba said “what would you prefer? To secure the votes or to secure the lives of the people. We have settled for indirect primaries not because we are afraid of direct primaries, but because of our peculiar situation.”
    “We have over 140 members in the State Executive Committee of the party and over 100 of them met and unanimously agreed to the use of direct primary. For the senatorial race, we have 12 aspirants contesting my position and I am not afraid to face them whether in direct or indirect primary. But in the interest of our people and for the security of lives and property, we have adopted indirect primary.
    “This thing is about service to the people. I believe that power belongs to God and He gives it to whomever. If I am destined to go back to the senate, to God be the glory. I was in the House of Representatives three times, representing two states of Kaduna and Adamawa and now in the Senate”.

  • Reminisce, others for Senator Most Distinguished ‘The UK Tour’

    Ace comedian Bethel Njoku, better known as Senator, has hinted that his upcoming show tagged ‘ Senator Most Distinguished ‘ The UK Tour’, will be held in five different locations – Liverpool, London, Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester .

    Expected to perform at all the five locations are indigenous rapper, Reminisce, Klint Da Drunk, FunnyBone, Dan the Humorous, Osama and Buchi among others. The show would be hosted by OAP Yaw.

    On why he is taking the show outside Nigeria, Senator disclosed that Nigerians in the UK have been part of his success story.

    “UK was my first international trip then under the umbrella of Crack ya ribs, the Julius Agwu brand in 2008,” he said.

    “So Nigerians in the UK have always encouraged us with good positive vibes. They actually made request for the brand to come to the UK … So I gave it a thought and then reached out to my promoter friends in the UK – Akinlolu Jekins of Akinlolu Jenkins and Co Ltd and James Efe Aghedo of Efoski entertainment – who saw a need to put up the show. They are basically my partners in the show.”

  • Senator urges Wike to build on inherited projects

    The senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Andrew Uchendu, has urged Governor Nyesom Wike to continue with the people-oriented projects initiated by previous administrations.

    His media aide, Solomon Okocha, yesterday in Port Harcourt, said Uchendu spoke when a delegation of Association of Female Taxi Drivers (AFTD) visited him.

    Uchendu, who is the deputy chairman, Senate Committee on Public Procurement, lauded female taxi drivers in Rivers for their courage to venture into a profession once reserved for men.

    He promised to draw the attention of relevant authorities to their plight.

    “It is obvious that the persons who are benefitting from the services that you are rendering cut across different political, social and religious divides, hence government must do all that it can to assist you, devoid of any sentiment.

    “If Governor Wike wants to assist the people of the state, there is no reason why pro-people programmes of previous administrations, especially in the area of women empowerment, should be abandoned.

    ”I urge Governor Wike to continue with any state empowerment programme initiated by previous administrations for the good of Rivers people. He should emulate King Alfred Diete-Spiff (the pioneer military governor of the old Rivers state), who set the ball rolling in terms of scholarship programmes in Rivers State. It is sad to note that it is only Wike’s administration that has refused to maintain this noble service to humanity.

    ”There is no justifiable reason why Governor Wike has abandoned the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) scholarship programme, Songhai Farm, Buguma Fish Farm, Greater Port Harcourt City, and the multi-million naira state-owned banana plantation in the Ogoni-axis of the state.

    “For the good of our state, we must learn to continue with projects that directly touch the lives of our people, irrespective of political differences.”

    The senator also said he would write to the Federal Ministry of Transportation and urge it to partner entrepreneurs willing to invest in female commercial driving in Rivers.

    Coordinator of AFTD Mrs. Ayo Ogbonna said the last time they received audience and assistance from the government was during the administration of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation Minister), when they got new cars, through the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) programme.

    “AFTD is made up of women who undertake commercial driving in Rivers State, especially to add value to the lives of indigent women, hence making them to become economically productive and financially supportive in their homes.”

    “We were set up by Her Excellency, Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of former Governor Amaechi, through the ESI scheme, in collaboration with Skye Bank. A lot of women immensely benefitted from the programme. Brand new cars, support funds, training, among others, were some of the tangible things that we got from that bold initiative. We remain grateful to Dame Amaechi and her husband for the unforgettable gestures towards Rivers women.

    “Unfortunately, the present administration has not continued with the laudable scheme. A lot of female taxi drivers are undergoing various challenges, ranging from lack of access to funds for the procurement and repair of cars, discrimination, disturbances by touts and loading points being infested by criminals.”

    Ogbonna pleaded with Uchendu to use his legislative mandate to speak out for female taxi drivers in Rivers.

  • N254m car bribes: EFCC begins trial of Senator Bassey Akpan

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday filed charges at an Ikeja High Court against another serving senator, Albert Bassey, for allegedly receiving 12 cars as bribes worth N254 million.

    Bassey, 45, who is representing Akwa-Ibom North-East, received the vehicles between 2010 and 2014 from Olajide Omokore, a businessman, when he (Bassey) served as the Akwa-Ibom Commissioner for Finance.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC has slammed a 14-count charge bordering on corruption on the duo.

    Bassey is to face a seven-count charge of bordering on corruption as a public officer and for  inviting bribes as a result of his own action.

    On his part, Omokore is also facing a seven-count charge bordering on offering gratification to a public officer and giving bribe on account of the action of a public officer.

    The duo as well as their counsel were, however, absent in court on Monday when the case was announced for mention at 4.05 pm on Monday, according to NAN.

    Mrs Zainab Ettu, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, requested a new court date to enable the anti-graft commission arraign the senator and the businessman.

    “We do not have the defendants in court today, though we had earlier anticipated that we would have them in court at a later date.

    “We will be asking for a further date, most preferably, after vacation,” she said.

    Responding, the vacation judge, Justice Obafemi Adamson noted that the case had not been assigned to a judge, making it difficult to adjourn the case after vacation.

    The judge ordered that the case file should be sent to the Registry of the High Court for assignment to a judge, who will hear it.

    According to the charge sheet, Bassey received the vehicles from Omokore over a five-year period (2010-2014) in Lagos.

    Bassey received the bribes while serving as the Akwa-Ibom Commissioner for Finance and Chairman of the Akwa-Ibom State Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee (IMDLCC).

    On May 10, 2010, Bassey also allegedly corruptly received a BMW X5 BP worth N50 million from Omokore in December 2012 and another Infinity QX 56 BP worth N45 million from him.

    On November 2013, the serving senator received a Toyota Landcruiser V8 BP valued at N40 million and in March 2014, he received a Range Rover, also valued at N40 million from the businessman as well as in September 2014, another Toyota Hiace High Roof car valued at N27 million.

    Others are Toyota Hiace High Roof car valued at N16 million and six units of Toyota Hilux vehicles valued at N36 million.

    The anti-graft commission claimed that the car gifts were given to Bassey by Omokore in exchange for contracts from the Akwa-Ibom Government.

    The offences, according to the EFCC, contravene Sections 63 (1)(a), 64 (1)(a) and 98(1), (a), (i) of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011. (NAN)

  • Senator seeks forensic audit of National Assembly budget

    Senator Abdullahi Adamu yesterday called for a probe into the budgetary allocations to the National Assembly.

    The Nasarawa State senator told reporters in Abuja that an audit had become necessary in view of Senate President Bukola Saraki’s refusal to vacate his seat after defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said Saraki’s refusal to vacate his seat after defecting to a minority party could be because he had something to hide.

    Adamu said: “I call for a forensic audit of the finances of the Parliament, which has been thoroughly messed up under the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.

    “We did not know what Saraki’s agenda is. As we go through this tenure of his, the more we see things being unearthed.

    “For him to refuse to move or leave the chair, there must be a reason for it.

    “As the chairman of the National Assembly, there is so much he is doing that we want to take a look at.

    “If he is clean, let him move away and accept that there should be a forensic audit of the National Assembly funds under his watch. Simple. Let him move so that we will see what he is sitting over.

    “We have seen his unbridled ambition. We have seen now that even though the odds are so much against him, he went to a party that is now losing ground and that is now a minority in the National Assembly.”

    On continued call by the leadership of the APC for Saraki to vacate his seat, Adamu said: “It is pretty obvious that Saraki’s influence has diminished completely.

    “Because he has lost the respect and confidence of majority of senators and well-meaning Nigerians, but he’s just latching on to that seat because of the privileges he enjoys.

    “Ordinarily, Saraki needed not wait for any pressure to be mounted on him before he resigns from his position as Senate president.

    “You cannot command any respect or assert your authority as a leader when majority of those you’re supposed to lead have lost confidence in you and are opposed to your leadership.

    “So, if he is a self-respecting person, he does not even need anyone to ask that he should throw in the towel because he and his PDP have lost majority in the Senate.”

    He said Saraki was entitled to aspire for any office, including that of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Adamu, however, he said: “But he should not try to destroy the system just because he wants to realise that ambition at all cost.”

    On who succeeds Saraki, if he exits his seat as President of the Senate, the lawmaker said: “You do not cross a bridge before you get to it.

    “All the speculations about the purported rift is aimed at dividing us and distracting us from our determination to assert the interest of our party which enjoys the majority in the Senate.”

    He added that the lawmakers were united and that the party had the goodwill of Nigerians in view of progresses being made in different sectors of the economy.

    While citing the party’s victory in recent Senatorial by-elections in Katsina, Kogi and  Bauchi states, the lawmaker said it was a sign of victory for the ruling APC in  2019.

    “They were the clearest pointers to the victories that will be recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling APC during the 2019 general election.

  • Akpabio still a member of the PDP – Senator

    The Senator representing the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State, Gershom Bassey, Tuesday said Senator Godswill Akpabio, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was still a PDP member on the floor of the hallowed chambers.

    Speaking with reporters in Calabar Tuesday, Senator Bassey however stated that the defection issue of the former Akwa Ibom governor was not a big deal.

    Read Also:To declare my seat vacant, Saraki’s must be declared vacant, says Akpabio

    He said, “He has not defected on the floor of the Senate. His defection is outside the Senate. For now he has not crossed carpet in the Senate. So he has done nothing illegal or wrong for now. In the Senate he is still in the PDP. We have not seen his letter. The letter has not been read on the floor and his seat is still in the PDP fold. So as far as we know he is still a PDP man. Until he tells us in the chambers then we would cross that bridge.”

    Also commenting on issues about the reconvening of the National Assembly, Bassey said there was never an official notice to that effect.

    “The media may have gotten ahead of itself in announcing the reconvening because there was no official notice to that effect. Normally when the National Assembly reconvenes it is the clerk of the NASS that sends out the notice. That is the rightful person. I am sure there was no such information from his office. So I think that the media having listened to a press conference by I think by one of the House of Reps men. But if you listen carefully to that press conference he didn’t say anything definite but I think the media just took it that it was definite. There was no plan and there has never been any plan to reconvene. What they did after the meeting of the leadership last week was that they were going to consider it. There was no commitment towards any particular date for reconvening,” he said.

    He also condemned the recent taking over the National Assembly by men of the Department of State Services.

    “I have condemned the invasion of the NASS. It is absolutely unacceptable. It is a coup against our democracy and that is the way we see it. I have called for a comprehensive independent enquiry into the incident. We have to get to the root of it. It is not enough to fire the DSS boss. I have seen the DSS man as a highly professional person. Anytime he has come to the NASS he has always been extremely professional in his presentations. So I don’t think that man would just wake up on his own and acts like that. Someone must have given him instructions. So we need to get to the bottom of it. Or he was misled, one of the two, but we have to get to the bottom of it,” the Senator said.

  • Wike, Tambuwal, R-APC, Ohanaeze, senator fault DSS’ siege

    RIVERS State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) and apex Igbo socio-political group Ohaneze Ndigbo have condemned the siege on the National Assembly.

    They spoke in separate statement following the invasion by men of Department of State Services (DSS).

    Wike: action condemnable

     

    Wike declared that the assault on the National Assembly by the security forces was condemnable and has the capacity to truncate the nation’s democracy.

    He  said: “All well-meaning Nigerians should stand up against this dictatorship.  All over the  world, this has never happened.

    “Nigerians should not stand aloof and watch what is going on. This will consume so many  people if we don’t rise against it.”

    Wike called on National Assembly members to stand firm in defence of the nation’s democracy.

    Tambuwal, who applauded the immediate removal of DSS DG from office, described the action as a direct and unacceptable indication of contempt for the sanctity of the legislature as bastion of democracy.

    He said, as a former lawmaker and immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, he  confounded that anyone could contemplate and  carry out such an act, commending Acting President Yomi Osibanjo for his intervention.

    Incident disgraceful, says Ohanaeze Ndigbo

     

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Uche Achi-Okpaga, described the incident as disgraceful and disappointing.

    “Recent events in Nigeria, climaxing in the blockade and prevention of marked adversary senators and House of Representative members from gaining access into the legislative building altogether, are not coming to us as surprises.

    “Instead, they are sprouting in alarming crescendos in crystal vindication of our stand that only a restructured Nigeria can thrive henceforth”.

    “The event of today in particular is raw as it is a clueless brandishing from the executors. Nothing more can be an impeachable offence than this callous desecration of the National Assembly, which is the symbol of democracy,” it said.

    A statement by R-APC National Publicity Secretary Kassim Afegbua said: “We condemn the continued partisanship of the security agencies against the interest of Nigerians. We wish to insist that these categories of persons be denied visas or have their visas revoked on account of their anti-democratic conducts, which have consistently threatened the very foundation of our fledgling democracy…

    “The sacking of the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) is good riddance to bad rubbish. Rather than devote energies and synergies into the Boko Haram fight and other cases of insecurity to give Nigerians a new lease of life, the DSS under Lawan Musa Daura has become one of a partisan lot against the collective interest of the State and Nigerians.”

    It said the Acting President should as a matter of urgency sack the Inspector General of Police, who has also shown careless disdain against the Nigerian people.

    “Let us for once instill some sanity in our democratic practices. Let us assume our role as the giant of Africa both in deeds and practice. We cannot afford to continue to tolerate these brazen abuses, invasions and drunken use of raw power against institution of democracy, in a 21st century world where the attraction should be more about development and growth.”

    ‘It’s bad example to other African democracies’

     

    Senator Isa Misau said the siege at the National Assembly was a “bad example to other African democracies”.

    Misau, who represents Bauchi Central Senatorial District, said barricading the gate of the assembly complex and denying some legislators access into their offices was a gross illegality and affront on democracy.

    Misau is one of the senators, who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People Democratic Party (PDP).

    He told newsmen while stranded at the entrance of the assembly complex that legislators were representatives of the people and were also elected to protect the principles of democracy.

     

     

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  • Obstacles to state police, by senator

    Senate Committee on Police Affairs Chairman Abu Ibrahim, yesterday listed issues that may hinder the smooth passage of the proposed state police bill pending before the National Assembly.

    The Katsina South senator said unless the issues are adequately addressed, it might be difficult to get the required number needed to pass the bill.

    Ibrahim said the obvious inability of most states to fund state police, a possible abuse by governors, and disagreement between some governors and federal lawmakers from their states, threaten the bill’s passage.

    He also highlighted the need to amend the allocation formula to give more funds to the states as a necessary step that should be taken before the creation of state police.

    The lawmaker noted that apart from Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kano and possibly Kaduna states, other states were likely to find it difficult to fund state police.

    Proponents of the bill said safe guards to prevent abuse by governors were created by some provisions of the bill.

    Ibrahim said: “My fear is the required number. The disagreement between National Assembly members and governors may kill the bill because I know many senators and House of Representatives members think if state governors get state police, they can trample on them, arrest and detain them.

    “So this may kill this particular bill. From my assessment, there is no way that it will get the two-thirds in the National Assembly.

    “Probably the bulk of Southwest senators will go for it because there is some control and there is synergy because of the control system.

    “I do not want to mention names but there are states that there is no way, from the way I see it for nine states out of 37 will not vote for it. But let us see how it goes.

    “But I fear that it may not get the two-thirds in the National Assembly.

    “Well, basically, the problem with the Police is funding.

    “If you create state police, will you get better funding? What are the main reasons for failure, if it is regarded as a failure, of the Federal Police system? The reason is lack of funding.

    “You give Nigeria Police N20 billion as budgetary allocation when they require about N300 billion.

    “Even the N20 billion is not fully released; sometimes it is between 40 and 50 per cent release.

    “So, will state police do better? They may know the locality better but do they have the resources. Can the states pay them their salaries and allowances? So, these are things we should look into.

    “I thought what we should do is, take the bull by the horns and get the internal security system overhauled and properly funded.

    “Many states right now cannot even pay workers’ salaries. They have to be salvaged by the federal government to pay salaries and we want to add another weight on them.

    “What we could have done was to look at the federal structure. If you are removing some powers of the federal police and devolving them to the states, then you need to change the revenue allocation formula to give states more money.

    “But if we leave it the way it is, maybe Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kano, Kaduna may pay. But after that, who else?”

    “This is a federal function. If I have to take a federal function to state, it is reasonable that I reduce the amount going to federal and give more to the states.

    “Also questions like, how many functions do you take from federal to states? We cannot just say, create state police with the present allocation formula. It will not work and that is besides the political angle I spoke about earlier, that is, the relationship between governors and lawmakers.”

    The first reading of the Constitution Alteration Bill for the Establishment of State Police and other related matters was taken at the Senate plenary two weeks ago.

    The Bill sponsored by the Deputy Senate President and the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, also has all members of the Committee as co-sponsors.