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Tag: Yakubu Dogara

  • Buhari meets Saraki, Dogara and others, over budget

    President Muhammadu Buhari is meeting with Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, behind closed doors.

    The News men report that the president is meeting the two National Assembly leaders barely two hours after his return from Daura, Katsina State.

    The President was in Daura for Saturday’s ward congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Read Also: Breaking: Buhari, Saraki, Dogara meet in Aso Rock

    Issues expected to be discussed at the meeting include the delay on the passage of the 2018 Budget, sour relationship between the executive and lawmakers, the ward congresses and botched APC primaries in Ekiti state.

    Also on the card for likely discussion was the current security situation in the country including the failure of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to appear before the senate over the issue of Sen. Dino Melaye.

    Dogara was last week quoted as saying that the IGP and the police would be held responsible for anything that happened to Melaye, currently facing two separate court trials.

    NAN

  • Breaking: Buhari, Saraki, Dogara meet in Aso Rock 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with the leadership of the National Assembly.

    The meeting started around 2.p.m when the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara arrived the President’s office.

    While the 2018 Budget proposal submitted to National Assembly last November is yet to be passed, other issues have also made the relationship between the two arms of government not too cordial.

    The latest was the threat by the National Assembly to invoke Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution towards starting impeachment process against the President for purchase military jets without lawmakers’ approval.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report

    Details later…

  • Dogara: nothing must happen to Sen. Melaye

    HOUSE of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has told heads of security agencies involved in the case of Senator Dino Melaye to ensure his safety. He said nothing untoward must happen to the lawmaker.

    According to him, they will be held responsible if anything happened to him.

    The Speaker said the health of persons should supersede their arraignment in court.

    He said: “All I can say is that nothing must happen to the senator. If anyone in this country commits an offence, the law is there for the person to be prosecuted or arraigned in court within the ambit of the law.

    “I don’t think the law supports a situation whereby someone is in a dire health situation and is being arraigned, most especially that person is a senator.

    “It is unthinkable that a distinguished senator or an honourable member of this House would run away from trial.

    “So, my admonition to the security agencies is to do everything possible to ensure that his life is secured first before prosecution.”

    Dogara’s warning followed a point of order by Sunday Karimi (PDP, Kogi), who said Melaye was being transported in an ambulance to Lokoja to face trial despite the state of his health.

    Karimi said Melaye’s predicament was as a result of his resolve to fight for his belief.

  • Nothing must happen to Melaye, Dogara warns security agencies

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has warned the heads of security agencies involved in the case of Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi), saying that nothing untowards must happen to the lawmaker.

    He said if anything happened to the senator, heads of security agencies involved would be held responsible.

    The Speaker, who was short of naming the security agency he was referring to on Thursrday at plenary said the health of persons should supercede their arraignment in court.

    He said: “All I can say is that nothing can happen to the senator. If anyone in this country commits an offence, the law is there for the person to be prosecuted or arraigned in court within the ambit of the law.

    “I don’t think the law supports a situation whereby someone is in a dire health situation and is being arraigned most especially that that person is a senator.

    “It is unthinkable that a distinguished senator or an honorable member of this house would run away from trial.

    “So, my admonition to the security agencies is to do everything possible to ensure that his life is secured first before prosecution.

    “Prosecution cannot come at the expense of death and that is very important because if anything happened to him, the responsibility will lie on the security agencies.

    “That is without mincing of words; because I have not seen a country where someone will be arraigned in a stretcher; where he is not even in the right frame of mind to even take a plea.

    “What use is it if you’re taken someone to court and he cannot plead guilty or not guilty. So, the emphasis should be on his health first”.

    Dogara’s warning followed a point of order by Sunday Karimi ( PDP, Kogi), who said Melaye was being transported in an ambulance to Lokoja to face trail despite the state of his health.

    Karimi said Melaye’s predicament was as a result of his resolve to fight for his belief.

    “I visited him in the hospital and counted up to 38 policemen. On Saturday, INEC went to conduct his recall.

    “Only yesterday, he was arraigned in court in Abuja. Today, Dino was carried in an ambulance to Lokoja.

    “What is happening to Dino can happen to anyone, what he is facing is persecution for his belief and there’s a need for us to act so that rule of law doesn’t  suffer”.

    However when attempts were made to throw the point of order into a debate, the Speaker declined saying due process was not followed.

    The Speaker said he will not allow the order to be debated because the same issue was being handled by the Senate.

    Besides, he was not previously conducted for it to be listed as a motion where it can be debated on the floor  as required by the rule book.

    “Karimi is talking about rule of law and due process, and we have our own rules in this house. So, we will abide by that.

    “The issue is handled by the Senate, so we cannot commit it to debate.

    “I don’t think there’s anything worth to comment on here, I think it is a matter of personal explanation and I’ve not been consulted,” he added.

  • House ready to pass minimum wage bill, says Dogara

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday in Abuja, says the House is ready to pass the minimum wage bill as legislature awaits the executive to forward the bill for upward review.

    Dogara, in a statement to mark 2018 Worker’s Day celebration, signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki Hassan, reiterated the desire of the House to provide a better life for workers.

    The Speaker said he was not unmindful of the struggles and hardship faced by Nigerian workers in their daily lives.

    According to him, this is why the National Assembly is committed to putting more resources in the hands of workers.

    He expressed optimism that the Federal Government Committee on Minimum Wage currently conducting public hearings across the six geo-political zones in the country, would soon conclude its assignment.

    He said that a new national minimum wage bill would be transmitted to the parliament by the President.

    Read Also:  Workers to FG: Prioritise review of minimum wage

    “On behalf of the entire members of the House of Representatives, I want to use this occasion to, once again, underscore the importance of workers to the growth and prosperity of our dear nation, Nigeria.

    “We see the struggles you go through to survive on wages that can barely last through the first week of the month. “We see your dedication to doing your bit in ensuring that Nigeria continues to run effectively in spite of unfavourable conditions.

    “We commend your courage, your commitment to service and nation building and urge you to continue supporting government policies and agenda.

    “I assure you, on this occasion, that the National Assembly will give expeditious passage to the Minimum Wage Bill whenever it is transmitted by the executive and any other initiative that will promote the welfare of the Nigerian worker.

    “We will support it wholeheartedly,” the Speaker said.

    NAN |

     

  • Dogara expresses reservation over security agencies’ inaction

    …cautions Judiciary over shielding culprits 

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has faulted the reaction of security agencies in the stealing of the mace at the Senate.

    He said the silence of the security agencies on the issue speaks volume, while adding that the incidence would have led to mass resignation in some other climes.

    He also warned the judiciary against restricting the police from performing its duty on the arrest of culprits.

    The House has consequently resolved to set-up a committee that will collaborate with a similar committee in the Senate to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the attack.

    Saying that the invasion of the National Assembly by the hoodlums has exposed failure of security agencies, he added, “If it had happened in other climes, heads would have rolled. Security chief would have resigned on their own, without any prompting.

    “An attack on the National Assembly is an attack on Buhari’s government. It is the failure of security agencies and it is the failure of their commanders.

    “That we have not received any communication from the security agencies speaks a volume”.

    Dogara did not spare some of his colleagues in the Upper Chamber for the roles they played in the incidence while condemning the formation of support group for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to him, the parliament is bounded by rules, and there is no group of parliamentarians that should protect anyone in the executive.

    He said: “Lawamakers who want to protect the President are going against the constitutional design of the parliament.

    “There is need for us to add our voice to this matter so that the public will know where we stand. There is no amount of anger that should lead a member to procure touts to come and carry out a treasonous offence on the”.

    To the judiciary, Dogara cautioned it over restricting the police from arresting the alleged culprits, saying such action may strengthen a bad presence in the polity.

    “If this precedence is sustained, the thugs may one day attack the courts premises. We don’t have to wait for the courts or the Villa to be attack. The National Assembly is better secured than the courts,” he stated.

    Nonetheless, the National Assembly would not allow touts to disrupts its activities or terrorise its members, he noted, saying, “The National Assembly is no a place for anarchy, monsters, terrorists.

    “We cannot allow terrorists to terrorize the us. Anyone who call himself a democrats can never be defended by touts, a democrat is defended by the truth”.

  • Reps mull impeachment proceeding against Buhari over $496m military equipment spending

    The spending $496m without parliamentary approval has pitched President Muhammadu Buhari against the House of Representatives with most members calling for the impeachment of the President.

    Following the reading of President Buhari’s request in a letter by Speaker  Yakubu Dogara at Tuesday’s plenary informing the House that $496m had been spent for the procurement of military aircraft  from the United State of America(USA), lawmakers could not hide their disdain for what they called breach of the constitution by the President.

    According to Buhari, the expenditure was made in anticipation that the Green Chamber would approve it, as part of the 2018 Appropriation Bill, currently before the National Assembly.

    The letter titled ‘Supplementary input into the 2018 Appropriation Bill: Purchase of Super Tucano Aircraft from the United States Government, dated April 13, 2018 reads in part: “In the expectation that the National Assembly would have no objection to the purchase of this highly specialized aircraft, which is critical to national security, I granted anticipatory approval for the release of US$496,374,470.00. This was paid directly to the Treasury of the United States Government.

    “I am therefore writing, seeking approval of this House for the sum of US$496,374,470.00( equivalent to N151,394,421,335.00)to be included in the 2018 Appropriation Bill, which the National Assembly is currently finalizing…”

    Kingsley Chinda, (PDP, Rivers) in a a point of order said the President’s action was an infraction against the 1999 Constitution( as amended) that should  not be treated with levity.

    Saying that an impeachment proceedings should be initiated against President Buhari, he added, “There is no where in our law that talked about anticipatory approval. We cannot seat down  and allow this to take place.

    “You are talking about anticipatory approval, is this House a rubber stamp? It is an impeachable offence. There is no infraction that  is worse than this. Let us not continue to sleep.

    “I propose that we commence impeachment on Mr President”.

    Sunday Karimi (PDP, Kogi) said the President should be ready to face the consequences of impeachment, “This is the time to tell the President  that we have been elected to serve our people.

    “There  is need for this house to reply him and tell him that he has breached  the constitution and should be ready to face the consequence,” he added.

    Sergius Ogun (PDP, Edo) said “Chuba Okadigbo was impeached for anticipatory approval. We are not a lame duck House”.

    Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyeama (PDP, Anambra) said:  “It has been established that there’s a breach of the constitution. What we should be talking about now is to reply the Executive.”

    However, the Chairman, House Committee, Emmanuel Orker-Jev  (APC, Benue) said the President’s letter must go through second reading as stipulated by the House rules but he was greeted with disapproving shouts of no.

    Also, Aliyu Sani Madakian APC, Kano) said  House rules should not be applied on the matter as Section 1 of the constitution provides that the constitution shall be binding on everybody, and that any other law inconsistent with it is null and void.

    Deputy Majority Whip, Pally Iriase (APC, Edo) expressed the view that two wrongs could not make a right while Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno) said: “I concur with the submissions of the chairman rules and business. It is the same constitution that gives us the right to come up with our rules.”

    However, Speaker Yakubu Dogara ruled that the House would go by its rules and the letter would go to second reading before a decision is taken on it.

  • Lawmaker assures on 2018 budget passage

    The leadership of the lower chamber of the National Assembly has assured that the lawmakers will do all within their powers to ensure that the 2018 budget is ready latest by the end of April.

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara gave the assurance in Ogbomosho High School, venue of an empowerment programme organised by a lawmaker representing Ogbomoso North/South/Oriire Federal Constituency for his constituents, Segun Ogunwuyi.

    Through the effort, Ogunwuyi empowered no fewer than 827 beneficiaries, including community associations, traditional rulers, students, trade groups, small-scale business owners and artisans among others.

    Dogara who was represented at the event by the Chairman, House committee on Education, Hon Zakari Mohammed, stated that the lateness in the passing of the budget was due to lack of cooperation from Ministers and the slow response of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) concerned.

    He said: “For the MDAs we ask them to bring certain things and even the ministers have not been cooperative. We asked them to bring certain things and make certain inputs but they have not and at the end of the day they will be blaming the legislatures. The legislature is not to be blamed. When you lay a budget, we are asking for information on it and we cannot manufacture figures. That is the problem. I am sure by the end of April we will definitely have a budget.

    “Our budget performance has been dropping and I think the factor responsible is that when you were supposed to have a quarterly release of funds and you don’t, that is a problem and I think the administration has to work harder and up their game on our projects especially the capital projects.”

    While urging the executive arm of government to work harder in generating more revenue to implement the budget, he urged the people of Ogbomosho North/South/Oriire federal constituency to ensure Ogunwuyi returns to the National Assembly in 2019, saying the type of lawmaking template the country operates was in consonance with longevity.

    Said he, “At every time you bring new set of people to the National Assembly, they have to learn the rudiments of lawmaking and in our template of democracy fashioned after that of America is as a matter of fact in consonance with longevity.

    “When people stayed for long, they become specialist in the art of lawmaking and it is about consolidation. The thing you do as a first timer in the first three to four years is about learning and by the time you come back, you are lot better and prepared for lawmaking and that is why continuity is imperative.”

    Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (APC-Oyo North) commended Ogunwuyi for bringing the dividends of democracy to the constituents with the way he has demonstrated love for his constituents. He urged the people to support Ogunwuyi for another term, adding that his quality of representation also improves as long as he stayed.

    Other lawmakers, including the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Information and National Orientation, Segun Odebunmi as well as the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Compliance, Abiodun Olasupo also corroborated the call for another term for the lawmaker.

    The duo urged the people to support Ogunwuyi and the APC at all levels to ensure continuity, which they said enhances good governance in terms of development as well as quality representation.

    In his remarks, Ogunwuyi said that the programme which he tagged “Reconnecting the Disconnect” was to empower his people and allow them benefit from the dividends of democracy.

    The lawmaker, who sought their support for another term, stated that he would not relent in his efforts at empowering constituents to compete favourably with others outside the constituency.

    Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to reporters commended the lawmaker for the gesture, pledging to give him more support to uplift the constituency. Items distributed to beneficiaries include,11 cars, 136 grinding machines, 216 bags of fertilizers, 33 hair dryers, 60 motorcycles, 73 generating set, five laptops, and 112 gas cookers among others.

    The event was attended by members of the State APC Executive led by the State Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, religious leaders, party supporters as well as representatives of Soun of Ogbomoso and Onpetu of Ijeru.

  • House adjourns plenary to mourn Jibril

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday adjourned plenary to mourn the death of a member, late Buba Jibril.

    The Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, while announcing the death of the lawmaker said “in our tradition, we shall adjourn today and have a valedictory session for him tomorrow (Wednesday).

    Jibril died on March 30, 2018 after a brief illness.

    He was in his third term in the House and until his demise, was Deputy Majority Leader of the House.

    The deceased was a strong member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and represented Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency of Kogi state. He was also speaker of the state’s House of Assembly.

    He lived a simple life and was respected among his colleagues.

  • Dogara, APC, Osun Assembly greet Tinubu at 66

    Speaker, House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Osun State House of Assembly on Wednesday felicitated with All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his 66th birthday anniversary.

    Dogara, in a congratulatory message, described the former Lagos State governor as a dogged and rare breed politician, who mentors new generation leaders for future challenges.

    He hailed Tinubu’s relentless commitment and sacrifice for democracy as well as his track records of service, mentoring and outstanding accomplishments.

    Dogara added: “You are indeed an astute politician, patriotic leader and democrat of high repute, who has the track records of mentoring and supporting upcoming leaders to accomplish their dreams.

    He said: “I commend your courage in leadership and abiding faith in the ideals of democracy and the Nigerian project.

    “On behalf of the entire membership of the House of Representatives, I congratulate you on this milestone and pray God Almighty to continue to strengthen you and bless you with good health and long life for service to the nation and humanity.”

    The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said: “We attest to Tinubu’s progressive and patriotic contributions towards efforts to deepen democracy and ensure good governance in the country. As a frontline politician, he has built lasting political bridges and alliances across divides in the country.

    Read Also: Tinubu will resolve APC crises, says Oni

    “As a National Leader of our great party, APC, we particularly reference his contributions to the growth and our electoral successes. As he carries out the presidential task of reconciling members of our great party, we once more assure him of our support in ensuring the success of this important task.

    “The APC family wishes him many more fulfilled and healthy years of service to our great party and nation.”

    To the Osun State House of Assembly under the leadership of its Speaker, Najeem Salam, the former governor is a quintessential leader, determined democrat, whose life is committed to the course of the masses.

    A statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, said Tinubu has over the years distinguished himself as a strong voice for good governance, democracy and succour to the vulnerable people.

    The Assembly noted that the state among several states of the country has benefited and still benefitting from Tinubu’s political prowess, which the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has been demonstrating since his election.

    It urged Tinubu to remain focus, undeterred as all eyes are on him to continue to lead as a shining light for democracy in Nigeria and Africa.

    The parliament wished the politician a healthy long life full of prosperity as he adds another year.