Only Seven Senators Are In The Eight Assembly

Only seven out of the 109 senators who will serve in the 8th National Assembly are women, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. Four of the female senators were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while three are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP senators-elect are Stella Oduah (Anambra North), Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central), Rose Oko (Cross River North) and Fatimat Raji-Rasaki (Ekiti Central).
Those elected on APC platform are Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) and Binta Garba (Adamawa North) and Monsurat Jumoke Sunmonu (Oyo Central), who is the current speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly.
An examination of the list of the female senators-elect showed that all of them, except Senator Tinubu, are new members of the Red Chamber.
The number of female senators who will serve in the 8th assembly is 12.5 per cent less from the eight that are in the outgoing 7th assembly.
Statistics on the number of senators-elect for the 8th assembly revealed that 79 senators or 72 per cent are new while 30 senators or 28 per cent are old members returning for different terms in the upper chamber.
According to the statistics, APC with 61 senators or 56 per cent of the total number of senators will enjoy simple majority control in the chamber as against 44 per cent or 48 senators it has in the outgoing 7th Assembly.
The reverse is the case for PDP, which lost its majority status in the Upper Chamber with 48 senators-elect as against 61 senators in the outgoing 7th assembly.
(NAN)

After months of public outcry over its lavish annual budget, Nigeria’s National Assembly has finally accepted a N20 billion cut to its budget, the first time it would do so since 2011.
This year, the National Assembly will spend N130 billion, and no longer N150 billion, according to the 2015 Appropriation Act signed this month by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Since 2011, the legislature had maintained a super annual budget package of N150 billion, with details of the spending kept top secret for four years.
Even as Nigeria faced a devastating revenue shortage due to sliding oil price in 2014, the Nigerian government proposed another N150 billion for the lawmakers for the 2015 fiscal year.
But while the lawmakers have now agreed a N20 billion cut following months of criticism, its new N130 billion allocation still outweighs the individual budgets of 19 states in Nigeria, PREMIUM TIMES analysis has shown.
Only 17 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory Administration have budgets that are equal to, or above that of the National Assembly.
The federal legislature consisting of the Senate, the House of Representatives, the National Assembly Service Commission and the Legislative Institute of Nigeria; has just over 2,000 persons.
The National Assembly has 469 members in addition to legislative aides and other support staff which are less than 1, 600 persons.
On the contrary, every state of the Federation have the full complements of the legislature, the executive, the judiciary, a robust civil service, and of course millions of citizens to care for.
Some of the states with smaller budgets include Ebonyi (N80 billion), Yobe (N80.6 billion) Niger (80.8 billion), Ekiti (N80.9 billion), Gombe (N86. 8 billion), Zamfara (N92.8 billion), and Enugu (N96.7 billion).
Others are Taraba, Benue, Jigawa and Adamawa..
Currently, the national lawmakers have been found to be paying themselves salaries and allowances outside the recommendations of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC.
A former RMAFC’s Chairman, Hamman Tukur, had publicly accused the legislators of paying themselves illegal salaries and allowances.
In a year, the senators pocket over N19.6 billion while members of the House of Representatives earn N38.8 billion in allowances apart from other official perks.
Cash Crunch
At the beginning of the current oil price fall, the government embarked on austerity measures including cutting the cost of governance and the reduction in the national capital budget to its lowest in a decade.
While the presidency agreed to slash its budget from N36.1 billion in 2014, to N26.7 billion in 2015, the National Assembly was given a proposal of N150 billion it has been collecting since 2011.
The presidency includes the State House, and several offices such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, and others.
Specifically, the budget for State House, which has the office of the president and vice president, was reduced from N12.15 billion in 2014, to N9.56 billion in 2015.
With the N130billion allocated to the National Assembly, PREMIUM TIMES has found out that some states of the Federation with over four million people, will spend far less in their 2015 budgets.
Rising Calls for Budget Cuts
A Senator-elect from Kogi State, Dino Melaye, is one of the new national lawmakers who has vowed to champion a campaign for salary cut for his colleagues.
Mr. Melaye, a former member of the House of Representatives, joined many Nigerians to demand a reduction in the salaries of senators and members of the House of Representatives, saying he will personally champion the cause.
He insisted that lawmakers must sacrifice their comfort and allow a pay cut, to yield money that could be used for development projects and proper oversight role.
Rights activist and Senator-elect, Shehu Sani, also shares Mr. Melaye’s position on the remuneration of the country’s lawmakers.
He argued that the way democracy is practiced in the country is too costly. To save cost, therefore, he canvassed the adoption of a unicameral legislature in the country.
Mr. Sani, however, charged the incoming national lawmakers to try to make sacrifices by accepting the review their allowances and salaries.
“Following the hard times and the state of the nation‘s economy, there is need for our lawmakers to make sacrifices,” said Mr. Sani.
“Elective office should be selfless. The image of the lawmakers for now is not good for the integrity of that office

Copyright: Premium Times

House Speakership: Dogara Receives Backing Of Peps Group

 

The 8th Assembly Consolidation Group, which is working towards the aspiration of Hon. Yakubu Dogara as speaker of the House of Representatives said it has achieved a major breakthrough in the project.
Dogara is the chairman House Services and Welfare Committee and one of the key contenders in the on-going race for the speakership
A statement signed by  Babangida Ibrahim Mahuta representing Malumfashi/Kafur Federal Constituency of  Katsina state said no few than 213 members have endorsed the candidature of Rep Dogara for the House most exalted position.
The statement reads: “The Consolidation Group is glad to announce that not fewer than 213 members have endorsed the candidature of Hon. Yakubu Dogara as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“All the 213 members have signed up to work for the emergence  of Hon. Dogara aa Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives.
“ Our membership is drawn from all political parties and from all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”
The statement said that the group are determined to unite the 8th House and consolidate on the achievements of the 7th Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
It urged other members of the House and members-elect who have not sign up to the consolidation project to do so as the Dogara project is for all members.

‘Emulate Usani’s Doggedness’ Group Tells Cross River Youths

 The Youth Say Yes Initiative has urged Cross River youths to emulate the dogged spirit with which Hon. Usani Usani has continuously displayed in his political career if they want to succeed in politics.

The group in a statement signed by the State Secretary of the Youth Say Yes in Cross River state Mr. Joel Eju said Hon. Usani showed strong sense for political development by playing credible opposition politics while other politicians were busy jumping ship in order to get immediate gain.

It should be noted that Usani Usani has since been in the opposition even during the Donald Duke era.Action. He contested the February 12 2012 Governorship election in Cross River state under the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN.

The group while eulogising Usani said he will be receiving its Achievement award for 2015, it stressed that it decided to honour Hon. Usani because he displayed a strong sense for credible opposition despite the allure of being in the winning party and the threats associated with playing opposition politics.

The group described Usani as a strong mobiliser of the All Progressives Congress who despite the threats that came from the Peoples Democratic Party still sought to remain in the party in order to make it attractive to people in the state. It said Usani as Chairman of the party in the state, also brought unity and sense of direction for the party,

YSYI hailed the smooth transition that heralded Muhammadu Buhari as president of the federal Republic of Nigeria describing it as a turning point in the history of Nigeria. The group said in order to succeed Buhari should ensure that he places credible people in positions of authourity who will guarantee the success of his electoral promise which is hinged on change. “We believe that Muhammadu Buhari has Nigeria at heart and wants to bring about positive change. This change can only come about if credible people who have the development of Nigeria at heart are placed in positions of auhtourity. This is the only way the rot that characterized the PDP era can be halted” the group posited.