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Tag: Yakubu Dogara

  • Strike: UniAbuja chapter of SSANU seeks NASS intervention

    Strike: UniAbuja chapter of SSANU seeks NASS intervention

    The University of Abuja ( UniAbuja ), chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ), has called on the National Assembly ( NASS ) to intervene in the ongoing industrial dispute between it and the Federal Government.

    Members of Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising Non-academic Staff Union of Universities ( NASU ), SSANU and National Association of Academic Technologists ( NAAT ) have been on strike over Federal Government’s failure to pay their earned allowances.

    The strike commenced on Dec. 4, 2017.

    A statement by SSANU’s National President and Chairman JAC, Mr Samson Ugwoke, on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the leader of UniAbuja chapter of SSANU, Malam Hassan Shallangwa, had presented a letter requesting the intervention of lawmakers.

    He said that the letter was presented to Mr Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of House of Representatives, through his Special Assistant Media and Publicity, Mr Turaki Hassan.

    “The Federal Government, through its relevant Ministers, have refused to dialogue with the unions and are pretending that all is well in our campuses, but we believe that it is only the National Assembly that can call them to order in the interest of Nigerian Education

    ‘’The strike we embarked upon since Dec. 4, 2017 has been crippling almost all activities on our campuses, yet the government remained passive about it, ’’the statement quoted Shallangwa as saying.

    Ugwoke expressed JAC’s dismay that the N23 billion paid by the Federal Government was cornered to pay the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU ) “for their Earned Academic Allowances.”

    He said that the three non-teaching staff unions were left with N4.6 billion (11 per cent), as earned allowances.

    NAN

  • Don Waney again

    Don Waney again

    The House of Representatives was on fire on Tuesday. The fire was ignited by a dead man, Don Waney. It took Speaker Yakubu Dogara to act as the fire service and put out the inferno before it could consume the green chamber.

    It all started when a motion on the “alleged amnesty by Governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha to persons who had been declared wanted by the River State Security Council” was introduced. Before Betty Apiafi (PDP Rivers), who presented the motion could catch her breath, a Rivers State versus Imo State face-off had ensued. It soon became an All Progressives Congress (APC) against Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) tussle.

    Deputy Minority Leader Onyeama Chukwukah (PDP Anambra) was pissed off with House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila. For two minutes, he gave it to the Lagos man. Speaker Yakubu Dogara’s plea fell on deaf ears.

    Apiafi, while moving the motion, said: “With concern to the recent grant of amnesty to some persons who had been declared wanted by the Rivers State Security Council consisting of the governor, Commissioner of Police, Heads of Army, Navy, Air Force and the Security and Civil Defence  Corps in the State.

    “Aware of the deadly attacks carried out by the notorious Don Wanny  ( now deceased) led criminal gang in Omoku Town, Rivers State on January 1, 2018, leading to the death of about 23 innocent citizens who were returning home from cross over night service.

    “Also notes that following the dastardly attack, the Rivers State Government and the State Security Council acting on security reports on or about the 8th day January 2018 declared 30 persons suspected to be part of a criminal gang that has been terrorising the state wanted, with a monetary sum of N20 million ransom placed on each of them.”

    Her colleague from Imo PDP, Nnana Igbokwe, saw no sense in her motion and raised a point of order. In his thinking, it was a dispute between two states, which only the Supreme Court could resolve.

    His submission triggered a heated debate on whether it was right or wrong for a governor of one state to pardon a crime committed in another state.

    Gbajabiamila did not think it was a matter for the House and he incurred Chukwukah’s wrath.

    “What transpired in the last few minutes show there is a dispute. Where is the proper forum for its resolution?” He asked and answered: “The Supreme Court is the right place.”

    Chukwukah jumped to his feet and said it was indecent to throw legislative boulders in the path of an issue that had to do with the loss of lives.

    Orker Jev (APC Benue), Johnson Ogbuma ( Edo APC), Tajudeen Yusuf, Bashir Babale (APC Kano), Uzoma Anonta ( Abia PDP), Uche Nnam-Obi ( PDP Rivers)  and Zakari Mohammed (APC Kwara) were also in the thick of the debacle.

    Dogara wriggled out by referring the motion to the committees on Justice, Ethics and Privileges, National Intelligence and Public Safety for advice. He gave them one week to report back for further legislative action.

    But who the hell was this Don Waney who wanted to burn the red chamber? Waney and his men shot dead some 20 innocent people on New Year’s Eve. He was killed later by the military, who also later fell his younger brother.

    Afraid that time was running out of them, his number 4 and some others sought refuge in Imo State governor who graciously held a show for them and announced his plan to recommend them to the Federal Government for amnesty.

    Okorocha said he forgave them. They submitted weapons. Yes, weapons of mass destruction. They said they had turned a new leaf.  They were dancing. To them, it was a dance of penitence. To me, it was like they were celebrating the fact that they could enjoy VIP treatment after shedding innocent blood.

    Emenike Agamu, aka General Red Scorpion, was fourth in command to late dreaded militant, Johnson Igwedibia, aka Don Waney. He led the men who surrendered arms to security operatives in the Imo State capital.

    As at the time Red Scorpion and his gang of evil men held their show of shame in Owerri, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike was still looking for them. He had released a list containing their names.

    Speaking at the Owerri circus, Scorpion confessed that the militant group led by the late Waney killed plenty people and blew up many oil pipelines. He said they were driven into crime by unemployment and poverty. Okorocha believed them. I do not. He thinks they deserve forgiveness and even amnesty. I disagree. He perhaps feels they should continue to enjoy the blood money in their kitty. No. No sir.

    The governor called them activists. I say they are criminals. He said “their surrendering arms will end the security challenges we have in the Ohaji/Egbema, Awara and the rest of the areas where people have been on self-exile for many years”. I do not share his optimism. These boys will go back to the creeks and use their hidden weapons once they cannot get free cash again.

    Okorocha called them “our brothers and sisters”. He was kind enough to admit that they stayed in the creeks and forest “perpetuating all kinds of evil, killing and maiming human beings”.

    He added that “our children have decided on their own to come back to the society and be part of the society. They are doing so on their own, surrendering arms which they have used in committing criminal activities for what they called expression of grievances of different sorts”.

    Okorocha was glad that “the lives of these boys have not been left in the hands of the military and police who would have wasted them but today they are been reintegrated into our society to become good citizens”.

    The governor did not end without declaring the clincher: “The state has forgiven them and will subsequently give their names to the Federal Government for amnesty.”

    For some reasons, I do not trust these men. I strongly feel that the weapons they submitted are just a fraction of what they have in their arsenal.

    These guys do not deserve to be called human-beings. How can anyone who killed people who did not offend him be regarded as human-being? How can someone who killed just to score a point be regarded as human-being? I think we should cut them with knife and see if blood will come out. I have this feeling blood does not flow in their veins.

    We were all in joyous mood that the New Year was here. Then Waney in his evil enclave told Scorpion and others to go to Rivers, his home state where he was even a titled chief, and kill fathers, mothers and children. And they obeyed. By the time they were through, not less than 30 people were dead. Before then, these evil men were known to have killed people and cut off their heads, which they obviously took away as evidence for their masters.

    I concur with those who think that these men shed innocent blood in Rivers and if for anything they are to be considered for amnesty, it is Rivers’ business. Not Imo’s. Yes, they have camps in Imo from where they wreaked havoc on the two states, but the last offence for which they are wanted was committed in Rivers. What Imo is trying to do in this respect is nothing but playing the meddlesome interloper.

    As pointed out by the Rivers State government, Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), does not give the Imo governor the power to grant amnesty to any person for an offence committed in Rivers State. May be Okorocha can grant them amnesty for the offences they committed in Imo State and pass them to Rivers to decide what to do with them.

    My final take: Amnesty should not be for every Tom, Dick and Harry. The beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, launched under the late Umaru Musa Ya’Adua, were not known to have with impunity opened fire on innocent citizens like Waney and his men did on New Year’s Eve. These guys deserve to face the law and serve their time.

    • Part of this piece appeared on this space last week.
  • Reps to FG: Prioritise procurement of Made-In-Nigeria cars

    Reps to FG: Prioritise procurement of Made-In-Nigeria cars

    The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to make it compulsory for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to procure only cars manufactured or assembled in Nigeria.

    This was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama (Edo-PDP) at plenary on Thursday.

    In the motion, Ogbeide-Ihama said that the automobile market was a multi-billion naira venture in Nigeria, given its large population and huge reliance on road transport.

    He said that government at all levels, being the highest spender in Nigeria, was a major buyer of automobiles in the country.

    According to him, over 95 per cent of the automobiles procured by MDAs are neither manufactured nor assembled in the country.

    Ogbeide-Ihama recalled that some years ago, automobile manufacturing companies like Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz and Peugeot, had functional assembling plants in Nigeria.

    He said that automobile companies outside Nigeria whose vehicles are sold in the country did not pay direct taxes to the Federal Government in spite of the revenue being generated from the country.

    He listed the benefits of having either manufacturing or assembling plants in Nigeria to include technology transfer, employment for Nigerians, revenue through taxes, reduction in balance of trade deficit, increased GDP and safety specification.

    The lawmaker said that Nigeria had been relegated to the role of a ready market for automobiles manufactured in more developed economies of the world.

    According to him, the only way Nigeria can break off the shackles of being a perpetual market for other economies is by pursuing a deliberate policy on automobiles.

    In his contribution, Rep. Johnson Agbonanyinma (Edo-APC) said that local manufacturing or assembly of automobiles would revitalise the rubber, iron and steel sectors.

    He said that the sectors would produce raw materials for making tyres and steel needed by the automobile companies, hence, creating jobs and boosting the economy.

    Agbonanyinma said that the motion came at a very important time and urged other members to support it for the growth of the economy.

    After the contributions, Speaker of the House, Mr Yakubu Dogara, mandated the Committee on Industry to ensure compliance and also investigate why the once-booming automobile industry in the country collapsed.

    NAN

  • Reps to probe NEMA over N17bn allocation

    Reps to probe NEMA over N17bn allocation

    House of Representatives, says it will probe the financial operations of National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ).

    The resolution followed a motion under matters of urgent public importance by Rep. Benjamin Wayo (Benue-APC) on “the alleged violation of public trust at the agency.”

    Wayo, who moved the motion, said that NEMA has been unable to account for the more than N17 billion it had received so far.

    According to him, the core mandate of NEMA is to coordinate the management of disaster across the country and to assist victims of such disasters.

    “In spite of this core mandate, several cases of disasters across the country have been given necessary attention which is the hunger issue in IDP camps in the Northeast, the farmers and herdsmen conflicts, fire disaster victims and many other such cases that have been neglected.

    He said the house was “Concerned that the agency has received more than N10 billion from 20 per cent from the National Ecological Fund in the last one year, five billion naira for hunger intervention in the Northeast, about two billion Naira for flood intervention across the country.”

    Wayo expressed concern that these funds were illegally siphoned by officials of the agency through dubious award of contracts without delivering relief items to the victims.

    According to him, the Director General of the agency also awards contracts to companies he has personal interest in and has violated his approval limits by awarding contracts to single firm without due process.

    He further expressed concerns that the agency is the only federal agency that has an Air Ambulance but has turned it into financial venture without remitting the financial proceeds to government coffers and the agency could not account for their assets.

    Contributing to the motion, Rep. Obinna Chidoka (Anambra-PDP), said that the house should investigate NEMA’s activities thoroughly to know how much was appropriated and spent.

    Similarly, Rep. Sunday Adepoju, (Oyo-APC), said that tax payers money must be accounted for as there were no way these monies could be spent unaccounted for.

    The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

    Consequently, the House mandated its Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to investigate the allegations in six weeks.

    NAN

  • Dogara woos Swedish investors in power, ICT sectors

    Dogara woos Swedish investors in power, ICT sectors

    The Speaker of House of Representatives, Rep. Yakubu Dogara, has urged Swedish businessmen to invest in Nigeria to create job opportunities for its teeming population.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Turaki Hassan, in Abuja on Thursday said Dogara made the call when he received the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Inger Ulvedt, in his office.

    The speaker said that Nigeria was the second largest trade partner to Sweden in Sub-Sahara Africa and had an existing cordial relationship between both countries and their citizens.

    “Swedish companies or corporate citizens are not strangers to business in Nigeria; whether it is in the area of telecommunications, we remember Ericson handsets.

    “I commend the ingenuity and creativity of the Swedish people in the area of automobile and in the area of power generation; they are doing a wonderful work.

    Read Also: Dogara urges completion of Ajaokuta Steel complex

    “We cannot help but call for more engagement in this direction and more flow of foreign direct investment in Nigeria.”

    He said that the desired direct investments were in agriculture “to provide employment for the people, in the area of infrastructure, power, renewable energy, ICT, industries, especially the automobiles’’.

    Dogara pledged legislative support for agreements needed to be domiciled in Nigeria, saying that the legislature would give the power of law to treaties and agreements between both countries.

    He commended the Government and people of Sweden for their humanitarian aid to victims of Boko Haram terrorism in the North-East.

    He said that terrorism was a global phenomenon which may be locally grown “but its devastating consequences would be felt in another country’’.

    Dogara said that a global problem required global response and that there was need for the international community to organise a donor-conference for the North-East as it was done for countries under terror attack.

    Earlier, Swedish ambassador had said that her country was interested in collaborating with the Nigerian government in various sectors to broaden existing bilateral agreements between both countries.

    Ulvedt said that Sweden was supporting Nigerian students in innovation at University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto.

    She said that her country had been the biggest donor to the Nigerian humanitarian trust fund for the victims of violence in the North-East.

    The ambassador said that small houses, schools, hospitals, among other social infrastructure had been built as part of the support.

    NAN

     

  • Reps adopt amendment to Electoral Act without dissent 

    Reps adopt amendment to Electoral Act without dissent 

    The House of Representatives yesterday adopted the conference committee report on the amendments to the Electoral Act 2010 and 2015 without a debate.

    At the committee of the whole house chaired by Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Edward Pwajok (APC, Plateau), who led his colleagues to the conference committee, said seven areas of disagreement between both chambers were addressed and resolved.

    They are Sections 36 (3), 49(2), 53(2), 63(4) and 78(4), among others.

    He said the conference agreed to adopt the Senate’s version on Section 36 (3) on death of candidates, which states that a political party whose candidate dies after commencement of an election and before the declaration of the result of that election has a 14-day window to conduct a fresh primary in order for INEC to conduct a fresh election within 21 days of the death of the party’s candidate.

    The House recommended seven days but the Senate’s version was adopted by the conference.

    Pwajok said the conference also resolved the issue of voter’s card in Section 49 (2) while the Senate’s recommendation on Section 78 (4) was also adopted.

    The conference also agreed on the issue of votes exceeding the number of the voters in the register by adopting the Senate’s version, while on announcement of result of election, it was also agreed that it must be transmitted immediately.

    The conference also agreed on the sequence of elections whereby the presidential poll would be conducted last, according to Pwajok, who also explained that INEC must fix election dates.

    He said the conference also empowered INEC to fix election timetable for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The Speaker recalled that the bill has been adopted earlier, adding that there was no need for debates at this stage since it was a conference report where all the grey areas have been addressed.

    He put the question and the report was unanimously adopted in a voice vote.

  • Fuel crisis: Local refining is the only solution, says Dogara

    Fuel crisis: Local refining is the only solution, says Dogara

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has said the country will continue to experience fuel crisis as long as it cannot refine the products locally.

    Dogara said though the leadership of the country is engaging stakeholders on how to surmount the challenge, he nonetheless opined that the country is not likely to overcome the recurring crisis if it continues with stop-gap measures.

    Dogara spoke Tuesday in his office while receiving the leadership of the Petroleum and Natural gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), where he said it would be foolhardy for anyone to think that there will be a permanent solution without capacity to refine petroleum products locally.

    He however disclosed that three Petroleum Industry bills would be given expedited action by the two houses of the National Assembly to avoid delay.

    He revealed that works on the bills are expected to be have been concluded and sent for Presidential assent before active politicking for 2019 general elections sets in.

    He said: “You mention this very embarrassing fuel situation which we have found ourselves and the state of our refineries.

    “My take on this is very simple and I’ve said it on a number of occasion that unless we are able to refine our own crude oil locally, we will never be in a position as a nation to say bye bye to fuel scarcity.

    “That is the truth; anyone who thinks we can depend on importation and still solve this problem in a permanent basis is deceiving himself.

    “When you import you depend on so many variables that are not within your control and anything can happen along the line that may result in this.

    “As far as am concerned, I see no reason why, with the quantum of crude we are churning out from Nigeria we cannot refine this product locally and end this shame once and for all.

    “It’s something we are looking at levels of  different strata of leadership in the country but whatever solutions we are going to proffer, will only be temporal.

    “The permanent solution will come when are able to refine the product locally, put it in the filling stations where it can be dispensed and then we can say bye bye to the scarcity.

    “But as far as that is not done, any measure adopted will just be a stop-gap measure  because we will depending on refineries outside and others variables that are not

    “This is where we are but to be candid this is a challenge we have to resolve as soon as we can.

    “At the level of leadership, engagements are on-going and hopefully we will be able find a solution but the permanent solution is when we are in a position, either through the existing refineries or building new ones but we must possess the capacity to refine the crude locally.”

    As part of the permanent solution, Dogara said the process of passing the three remain bills of petroleum industry would be abridged whereby the petroleum resources Committees of the two House would work together rather than separately.

    He said a joint public hearing would be conducted by the Committees where all stakeholders, civil society organizations (CSOs) and members of the public would be invited.

    He said the aggregate of the outcome of the public hearing is critical to the final report of the bills.

    Dogara also stated that to maximise time, there would be no need for Conference Committe once the reports of the bills are considered and adopted by the two chambers since the reports would be basically similar.

    Saying that the 8th National Assembly is desirous of creating further history having broken the jinx of passing the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), Dogara said the lawmakers are currently working on the physical aspect of the bills.

    “The process of passing the bills will be done in no time, by this time; we are taking a very short route to the passage of these bills in the sense that instead of working separately, the two Houses will work on them jointly.

    “At the end of the day what comes back to the plenary of the two houses will be a reflection of the work of the joint Committee and once it is passed, there won’t be any need for conference on the bill to harmonise the position of the two houses, it will be the same position for the two and it will be sent to the President for assent.

    “If we succeed in this, this section of the National Assembly would be making history though we have been doing that.”

    Earlier in his speech, PENGASAN  National President, Olabode Johnson, who led other members of the delegation asked for the intervention of the House in the lingering fuel crisis while asking for the revamping and rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries with timeline.

    The union also implored the government to effect strategies of adequate and sustainable crude supply to the refineries to enhance local refining.

    The group also asked government to remove all encumbrances associated with importation of refined products, enhance infrastructural facilities such as construction of additional Single Point Mooring and extension of such into deep waters to enable berthing of large vessels to ease the challenges of importation.

  • PGIB passes 3rd reading at House of Reps

    PGIB passes 3rd reading at House of Reps

    A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Governance and Institutional Framework for the Petroleum Industry and for Related Matters on Thursday, passed third reading at the House of Representatives.

    The Bill was presented to the “Committee of the Whole’’ at plenary after a public hearing conducted on it in the last quarter of 2017.

    It seeks to establish a fiscal framework that will further encourage investment in the oil industry.

    The bill also seeks to unbundle the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into components, including Nigerian Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Petroleum Equalisation Fund and Nigerian Petroleum Management Company.

    The bill was transmitted from the Senate to the House of Representatives for second reading in June, 2017.

    At the second reading, Rep. Tahir Monguno (Borno-APC) had said that “unbundling the NNPC into units was in line with international best practices and would ensure transparency in the conduct of businesses in the industry’’.

    After the Clerk of the House, Mr Abdulkadir Adamu, read the short title of the bill at Thursday’s plenary, the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, ruled that the bill was read and had passed third reading.

    NAN

  • Dogara calls for completion of 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    Dogara calls for completion of 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara on Tuesday called for the completion of the Second Niger Bridge and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, saying that they are pivotal to national development.

    Dogara made the call while declaring open a two-day investigative hearing on the nature of the contract or concession arrangement on the projects, organised by the House Committee on Works.

    Represented by the Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Chukwuka Onyema, Dogara said that the investigative hearing became critical given that the projects were constant ugly features in national discourse.

    While stating that proactive steps must be taken to ensure early completion of the projects, the Speaker said that the projects constitute vital arterial network for the country’s road transport system.

    “They have become media sensations and highly politicized to the extent that it now seems that we are playing games with the lives of our people.

    Read also: No hiding place for killers – Dogara

    “Past administrations have celebrated progress ostensibly made on them while achieving little or nothing in reality,’’ Dogara said.

    According to the Speaker, the House observed that contracts for the projects continued to feature in annual budgets without any seeming signs of their completion or total amount required to do so.

    “The Minister for Power, Works and Housing stated that funds for the projects in 2017 Appropriation Act were reduced, so they run the risk of becoming white elephant projects because they are not under concession or Public-Private Partnership arrangement.’’

    He added that the manner of execution of the projects was not in accordance with any defined method of projects execution.

    “The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority had spent about N18 billion on the Second Niger Bridge as the financier during their early stages.

    “As a result of these observations, the House, by resolution, urged the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to provide funds in the 2018 budget for the completion of the projects,’’ the Speaker said.

    Dogara noted that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway had become a subject of litigations as the government vacillates between executing it through PPP arrangement and direct funding.

    “Unfortunately, the same affliction is seeping into the execution of the Second Niger Bridge.

    “If the House of Representatives, in its oversight responsibility, does not step in at this time, we run the risk of continuing this path and the rehabilitation of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will remain a mirage and the Second Niger Bridge will never get constructed,’’ Dogara said.

    NAN

  • Armed Forces Day: Saraki seeks enhanced welfare for military

    Armed Forces Day: Saraki seeks enhanced welfare for military

    Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Monday called on the Federal Government and military authorities to prioritize the welfare of both their serving and retired personnel, in view of the enormous sacrifices they render to sustain the peace and security of the country.

    Saraki, according to a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, made the call after laying a wreath at the National Arcade to commemorate the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He lauded the national attention being accorded the nation’s armed forces through the annual celebration of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, and said it is time to do more for members of of the armed forces still serving and those who have retired, while not neglecting the families of the fallen heroes.

    Saraki said: “I must commend the Federal Government for its commitment to ensure that the nation’s armed forces are fully catered for in terms of operational logistics and welfare packages. But there is room for more when you consider that these are men who have given their all and continue to give their all for the security, stability and prosperity of the country.

    “While serving members of the armed forces must be made to feel that their effort at protecting the territorial integrity of the country and assisting in the maintenance of law and order internally – often at the risk of their very lives – is not in vain, the welfare of the immediate families of all our fallen heroes must be given due consideration,” he stated.

    While commending the leadership and members of the Nigerian armed forces for their continuous support to civil authorities in ensuring the safety of lives and property in all parts of the country, he called on them not to relent in restoring peace to all troubled parts of the country.

    He pledged that the National Assembly will continue to ensure that all bills relating to the armed forces’ operation and welfare are given accelerated consideration and passage from time to time.

    Earlier in a social media post, the Senate President thanked members of the Nigerian Armed Forces for their commitment to keeping the nation safe.

    His post: