Watch Hon. Kwewum's take on the emergence of Speaker Dogara

Leadership is secondary to our primary responsibility’

Welcome Speech by the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (CON) to Senators of the 8th Senate on resumption from a short recess on Tuesday, 28 July 2015.

DISTINGUISHED colleagues, it is my pleasure once again; to welcome you back to the Senate Chambers after a short recess. It is expected that the recess would have in no small measure helped us consolidate the stability of the National Assembly. Now it is time to move as one house in one direction to fulfill the promise we made to our constituencies that gave us our mandate to deliver real change.

Distinguished colleagues, before we went on recess, we started the process of laying down the marker for the new Senate by inaugurating the Ad Hoc Committee on Senate Finances and the Committee on Legislative Agenda. We expect the reports of Committees to refocus the energy of the Senate on the challenges ahead. We want to show and indeed must show that this Senate is alive to its lawmaking, oversight, policy-making and representation duties.

While we may have adjourned plenary the Senate continued to work within, proactively reaching out to key public institutions including the ICPC, the NBA, NLC, CBN, the IOCs, the FIRS, and many other agencies of government for briefings on the state of the nation and their various agencies as part of a broader Senate strategy to understanding the legal regulatory and institutional gaps that may be holding these agencies back in fulfilling their mandate. This we see as a preliminary step towards closing areas of identified leakages in the revenue system.

Our revenue profile has taken a great hit with the economic realities we face today. Aside the drop in the oil receipt, we have seen revenues plummet due to oil thefts, indiscriminate grants of numerous import duty waivers, concessions and grants. Nigerians want to see the National Assembly tackle these obscenities in our revenue systems as it denies our people the right to good governance.

Distinguished colleagues, our country is passing through a difficult time. We cannot afford to watch the mind-boggling leakages in our oil receipt to go on, this Senate is in tandem with Mr. President on this and is determined to turn every stone and shift every rock to ensure that all revenues due to the country from oil are recovered. We are not the only oil producing country in the world; oil theft cannot therefore become an acceptable part of our oil business.

Furthermore, Nigerians are tired of the inadequacies in the power sector and want to see a reinvigorated power sector capable of delivering enough energy to power the new Nigerian economy. Our people dream to see a more open economy, they want to see legislative instruments that will help to open and stimulate private sector investment in infrastructure development, and enhance the ease of doing business in the country.

Distinguished colleagues, in recent times, we have seen resurgence in the activities of Boko Haram and some other criminal elements in our society leading to the death of many of our citizens. We cannot continue to let senseless groups cause untimely death to our citizens without hindrance. This is another sad addition to the cocktail of security challenges we can ill-afford at this time. In the coming days, I will constitute a high powered Senate delegation to visit our troops on the battle line and some of our internally displaced persons in the North East to have a firsthand appreciation of the challenges, the suffering and plight that has befallen our people in the area. Soon afterwards we shall, working together with the House, develop concrete steps towards the rehabilitation and renewal of the battered local economy of the North East.

Make no mistake about it, the aim of these militant groups is simple, to test our resolve and disintegrate our unity. But let me reiterate the readiness and willingness of the National Assembly to support and work with President Muhammadu Buhari to comprehensively rout Boko Haram. We join Mr. President in saying “that we will defeat terrorism in our country and region, because we have the will to win this fight.” Our resolve is collective, we urge all friends of Nigeria including the United States and the entire international community to join us.

Distinguished colleagues, we have our work cut out for us, we cannot afford to frolic. Nigerians did not give us our mandate to come and pursue leadership, their mandate was for us to pursue governance and bring solutions to their burning issues. It is time we remind ourselves of the solemn promise to deliver to our people real change.

Leadership is secondary to our primary responsibility of good governance. As Senate President you have given me responsibility to ensure that our primary responsibility is placed on the table not under the table. Nigerians did not put their lives on the line for politics but for the delivery of good governance.

My distinguished colleagues, the job of changing our corporate destiny starts today. Though the challenges are huge, they are not insurmountable. Let this challenges inspire us as leaders to show courage, statesmanship and valour. We have taken the right first steps out, we must now set out at dawn. We do not have all the time indeed our clock is ticking.

Distinguished colleagues, it is time, let’s get started and deliver meaningful change to our people.

Thank you for your attention and God bless Nigeria.

Credit: Guardian

House of Assembly orders utility firm to restore power in Edo community

The Edo State House of Assembly has directed the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to restore light forthwith to Igarra Community in Akoko-Edo Local Council of the state.

The Speaker, Victor Edoror gave the order yesterday in Benin after the company’s Executive Director, Abu Ejoor had briefed the House on the development which had thrown the entire community and its environs into darkness for over a month.

The Guardian learnt that, central to the crisis, was the decision by the utility firm to remove a 2.5 MVA transformer donated to the community by the council which was vehemently resisted, leading to the impasse at hand.

Ejoor, who was in the Assembly to clarify the matter and state the position of the distribution company regarding the alleged harassment of the lawmaker representing the area in the House, Emmanuel Agbaje, said power had been compromised arising from energy theft by customers, which he noted, was hindering effective electricity metering.

He said though the firm had metered over 100,000 customers since it took over the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), “but because of the undermining gap, you cannot feel the impact.

“Energy theft is a major issue. People should be disciplined enough to allow that energy work.

“If people are compromising electricity supply, others are paying for it.

“Before we came onboard, over 7,000 customers paid for meters and the monies paid for this metres were no where to be found.

“Yet we initiated a process to meter such customers. Even though we advertised the initiative in the newspapers, only 2,600 customers had come forward to collect their metres,”Ejoor disclosed.

On the blackout, he accused the youths of preventing his officials from retrieving a 2.5MV transformer so it could be replaced with a 7.5MV facility.

Ejoor maintained amid the youths’ resistance that the facility retrieval was inevitable, as the community had outgrown the current capacity.

He further attributed the darkness to the N300 million indebtedness of the residents, adding that the youths had also gone on rampage and “vandalised our insulators.”

The Speaker, besides ordering the immediate restoration of electricity to the community, said it must be “without the collection of N750 fixed charge for the period of power outage.”

He also amongst others asked BEDC to liaise with the representative of Akoko-Edo State Constituency to remove the 2.5MV and install the 7.5MV facility.

Credit: Guardian

House May Consider Legislation to Compel Multinationals to List on NSE

Wants declaration of emergency on unemployment

Urges states to settle N4bn WAEC debt

The House of Representatives has disclosed that it will consider debating legislation to mandate multinationals in the oil and gas, and telecommunications sectors to list certain percentage of their value on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

The Speaker of the House of Representatives,  Hon. Yakubu Dogara, speaking when he received members of the Nigeria-United Kingdom Capital Market Project on a courtesy visit in Abuja yesterday, said such legislation would help deepen the market.

He lamented that multinational firms have refused to list on the NSE, noting that there is no justification for the refusal.

“Apart from capital inflow being sought, the market needs to be deepened, as most of the big international companies in Nigeria are not participating in the Nigerian Stock exchange. This is sad because these companies account for a huge percentage of revenues in oil, communication and energy etc.,”

Dogara also gave the assurance that the lower chamber would provide legislation into areas of value added partnership directed at wealth increase, wealth redistribution, employment generation and economic diversification.

Speaking earlier, President Nigeria Stock Exchange, Mr. Aigboje Imoukhuede, said the aim of the Nigeria- UK Capital Market Project is to ensure the increase in capital flow between the capital markets for mutual development.

Co-Chairman of the project, Sir Rogers Gifford, said Nigeria is one of the most exciting markets to work with, with a study currently being done to improve market structure.

In another development, members of the House of Representatives have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare an emergency in the labour sub-sector of the economy in view of the high rate of unemployment in the country, particularly among young Nigerians.

The resolution was reached during plenary on yesterday, after a  motion was moved by Hon. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers PDP) who also sought the convening of a national summit on unemployment.

The resolution did not elicit much debate as members agreed it was a matter of urgent public importance.

Chinda also prayed that the lower chamber direct the Committee on Labour and Productivity (when constituted) to request for and review the federal government’s blueprint on generation of 3,000,000 jobs per annum, analyse same and report back to it within four  weeks for further legislative action, recalling that several young people lost their lives in a stampede where they had gathered to write tests for recruitment into the immigration service. Chinda noted that unemployment is a time bomb whose results can be disastrous for the nation if not death with.

“If urgent steps and pragmatic steps are not taken to address this problem, the country would be at risk at a high risk of unrest and vices which could, in the long term lead to a breakdown of the social and economic order in the country to the detriment of livelihood pattern,” he said.

The motion was unanimously passed following a voice vote.

The House members also urged debtors to settle the N4 billion owed to the West Africa Examinations Council by the 19 states of the federation, after the examination body threatened to withhold the results of about 600,000 students whose state governments promised to settle their examination bills.

Hon. Linus Okorie (Ebonyi PDP) raising the motion under matters of urgent public importance, recalled that the examination body had said its operations are being affected by the debt which was incurred by the states.

Credit: Thisday

EFCC Grants Toyin Saraki Administrative Bail

APC not behind probe, says Oyegun

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has granted the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, administrative bail after she was invited for a chat with the commission for two days over allegations of corruption.

The bail came as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has distanced the party from the travails of Mrs. Saraki in the hands of the anti-graft commission.

Mrs. Saraki, who defied the early morning rain yesterday to continue with the grilling started on Tuesday, was granted administrative bail after about five hours with the investigators.

Sources at the EFCC said the former Kwara State first lady was invited by the commission over the large inflow of money into her private company during her husband’s tenure as Kwara State governor.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, who confirmed the bail, explained that it had  not exonerated Mrs. Saraki from the offence she was accused of.

Uwujaren said Mrs. Saraki could be invited at any time necessary for further interrogation.

Meanwhile, Oyegun while speaking  at a press conference at the party’s secretariat in Abuja,  said there was nothing untoward about the probe of Mrs. Saraki by the anti-corruption agency which was merely discharging its functions, adding that the senate president’s wife case  remained mere allegations until it is proven.

He said APC believed that the EFCC should be allowed to do its job without interference.

“I want to assure you without doubting that the APC absolutely has nothing to do with the probe. She’s not on trial by the way. It is an investigation that has to do with the senate president’s wife.

“We are completely, totally, absolutely innocent of it. What we have not done like in the PDP days is to rush and interfere with the processes of the EFCC which our president has made quite clearly, everybody should be ready to carry out their legitimate functions without interference,” he said.

Oyegun, while commenting on the successful resolution of the crisis in the House of Representatives, said the last minute intervention by President Muhammadu Buhari helped to  broker the much needed peace and prevailed on the feuding lawmakers to sheath their sword.

He said the meeting summoned by President Buhari at the State House gave the needed impetus for the amicable settlement of the outstanding issues.

“The misunderstanding in the House has been amicably resolved thanks to the intervention of Mr. President who again made it quite clear with everybody that there is no alternative but to listen to what the party says.

“I want to emphasise the fact that all of us were what we were and what we are, thanks to the platform that the party provided for everybody. I think his message resonated very intensively with all the members of the House, Buhari still did not interfere.

“I want to make that very clear and his parting words to us was that the presiding leadership of the House and the party should go and resolve whatever issues there are that were militating against the resolution of the problem and that is what exactly happened.

“We left there into consultations and discussions with the presiding officers of the House, and let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to their maturity and to their sense of responsibility, tribute to their loyalty to the party and above all, tribute to their sense of general good meaning, the patriotism displayed by the Speaker and his deputy,” he said.

Responding to concerns over  the apparent shortchanging of the South-east zone from the sharing arrangement in the lower legislative chamber, Oyegun said the party was hopeful that the leadership of the House would take steps to address such imbalance in the allocation of other sensitive positions.

He said: “The sharing process is not over, even in the House, it is not yet over and all these will be taken into consideration when other positions in the House are been distributed. I have no doubt at all about that.

On South-west producing two principal officers in the House, Oyegun said: “In real life, there is no perfection. In real life there are ups and downs what is important is that the system functions.”

“In the case of the House  they got to that bridge but were yet to cross it but in the Senate they have almost elected all the principal officers and I also learnt that they have a court action presently concerning the emergence of the leadership which makes it different from that of the lower chamber.”

On the effort of the party to meet the promises made to Nigerians, Oyegun said the people  are very aware of the poor state of affairs in the country and the fact that government finances have not been healthy. He said due to the rot that was handed over to the APC administration, most areas of the economy had been at a near stand-still.

Oyegun also justified the decision to restrict corruption probe to last administration, saying that system in the last six years is very phenomenal with all manner of the impunity and corruption.

On the appointment of the ministers, the National Chairman said  the matter was absolutely the prerogative of the President who might decide to consult the party or any other group in the country making up his list.

According to him, the president is working hard to fix the rots and plug all the loopholes where the resources of the country have hitherto been fleeced away.

“It is until all these things have been put in place and proper structures set up that Nigerians will expect to harness all the good things contained in the party’s manifestos,” he said.

Credit: Thisday

APGA Lawmakers Backed Minority Leader’s Removal

It has emerged that more than 50 per cent of the 11 lawmakers of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Abia State House of Assembly actually backed the removal of the Minority Leader, Hon Abraham Oba.

He had led his opposition members to recant their approval of the state government’s N30 billion loan deal thereby incurring the wrath of the majority PDP members and most of his fellow APGA lawmakers, who allegedly “ganged up” against the Minority Leader.

THISDAY gathered that six members of the opposition APGA actually signed and moved the motion that led to the removal of their leader in the House. The Minority Leader, who represents Aba Central state constituency, aside from losing his position, was also clamped into “indefinite suspension” by his fellow lawmakers.

Hon. Oba was removed from his position as Minority Leader on Tuesday following an “abusive press conference” he led his APGA lawmakers to address during which they repudiated their earlier backing for the state government’s plan to take N30 billion from commercial banks.

His loss has become the gain of the member representing Umunneochi state constituency, Hon Ikedi Ezekwesiri, who was immediately appointed as replacement for the sacked Minority Leader.

From where he is nursing his wounds, the former Minority Leader refused to speak on the fate that had befallen him and rather directed journalists to seek reaction from his party when contacted on his mobile phone.

Expectedly APGA has risen in defence of Hon Oba, saying that he did nothing wrong to deserve the inglorious manner in which he was removed from office.

State secretary of APGA, Sunday Onukwubiri, told journalists on phone that it was “unfortunate” the way members of Abia legislature handled the issue of the dissenting voice expressed by APGA lawmakers over the planned loan.

He said that what the former Minority Leader did was merely to address the press in order “to inform the public on what is happening in the House” and therefore did not deserve any punishment.

The loan deal, which had already received the endorsement of the state lawmakers, ran into troubled waters when APGA lawmakers recanted, saying that they were deceived into endorsing the loan by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Martins Azubuike.

Why Dogara Conceded House Leader to Gbajabiamila

Atiku hails Buhari’s intervention in N’Assembly rift APC House caucus hold inaugural meeting

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja 


Details have emerged on how the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, conceded the position of House

Leader to the former Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

It was gathered that following the directive from President Muhammadu Buhari to the gladiators of the warring Consolidation Group headed by Dogara and the Loyalists’ Group headed by Gbajabiamila on Monday night, both camps had resolved to maintain the party’s arrangement, but allow the APC zonal caucuses to decide the occupants by election.

Dogara might however have realised that he would not be able to secure any positions for his loyalists if he allowed the matter to be decided by election.

A source told THISDAY that already, the All Progressives Congress (APC) members from the North-west were considering nominating another member other than Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa.

Some of the them, including Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, were said to be miffed at the manner Doguwa quickly abandoned Gbajabiamila and pitched his tent with the Consolidation Group, when he was offered the position of House Leader.

Hon. Pally Iriase  who was also offered the position of Chief Whip, was also considered to have betrayed the cause of party supremacy.

Both men, before they formally accepted and defended their acceptance of the nominations, were key members of the Gbajabiamila caucus.

“After plenary yesterday, the APC members were supposed to head to the secretariat, where the elections would be conducted. But the Speaker decided if the matter went to election, he might not be able to get Doguwa and Iriase on board. Remember that he went out during the debate on the legislative agenda while Lasun took over. Likely he went to decide on the matter” a source told THISDAY.

THISDAY further gathered that Gbajabiamila was taken by surprise by the announcement, which the Speaker made when he returned to the floor of the House, because he, Gbajabiamila, was expecting to go for elections as agreed in the resolution.

“So in the end, while he conceded the major position of contention to Gbajabiamila, his loyalists occupy the other positions. He chose Buba Fibrin over Monguno, but obviously Monguno would also be given commensurate appointment,” the source added.

The positions as announced on Tuesday by Dogara are Deputy Leader, Hon. Buba Jibrin (North-central),  Chief Whip- Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (North-west)and Deputy Chief Whip- Hon. Pally Iriase (South-south).

THISDAY gathered that steps are being taken by the different caucuses to try to mend fences which have been badly fractured in the last few weeks of wrangling.

Meanehile, former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the fatherly role he played in the resolution of the National Assembly crisis.

Atiku said the peaceful resolution of the House of Representatives leadership crisis, which until now, had bogged down the activities of the House was as a result of compromise and accommodation of interests.

In a statement released by his Media Office in Abuja Wednesday, the former vice-president recalled that the amicable outcome of the tension was in line with his earlier position that compromise and accommodation were necessary in ending the deadlock.

According to the former vice-president, the opposing sides have demonstrated maturity, wisdom and sense of patriotism by finally arriving at a workable compromise.

He said in any compromise, you win some and lose some of your demands, explaining that he was constantly disturbed by how the crisis was adversely affecting the change agenda of the APC administration.

He therefore, called on the warring parties in the House of Representatives to put the bitterness of the crisis behind them, and direct their energies towards the success of the governing APC administration.

However, the APC Caucus in the House of Representatives held their inaugural meeting late last night.

The gathering was the first time all APC House members would meet since the wrangling that followed the election of the presiding officers of the House, and announcement of principal officers.

It would also be the first time the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, would sit together as one caucus.

The lawmakers are expected to outline the party’s agenda in the lower chambers and discuss some communication that had been sent in by President Muhammadu Buhari.

THISDAY gathered that the meeting was also intended to mend fences in the fractured caucus due to the need for all party House members to work together.

The meeting which started at about 9.30p.m., was ongoing as at press time.

Credit: Thisday

Senate Laments Bad State of Nigerian Roads, Impact of Erosion

The Senate Tuesday lamented the deplorable state of Nigerian roads across the country as well as the danger posed by erosion in the South-eastern part of the country.

Hence, the parliament constituted a nine-man ad hoc committee chaired by Senator Barnabas Gemade (Benue North-east) to examine the situation and come up with findings and far reaching recommendations on how the problems can be addressed by the federal government.

The decision was the fallout of three separate motions moved by senators in affected The first motion was moved by Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (Akwa Ibom North- east) along with five other senators on the state of disrepair and total collapse of the Ikot- Ekpene-Itu-Calabar federal highway.

Two other similar motions on landslide in parts of Isuikwuato and Isu III in Arochukwu local government areas both in Abia North senatorial district Abia State and another one on rehabilitation of the Kano-Gwarzo -Dayi highway were also moved.

On the Ikot -Ekpene -Itu-Calabar high way, the Senate called on the federal government and its relevant agencies to urgently undertake an ecological intervention on the  highway to  prevent recurrent  loss of lives and property.

In his remark, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, decried the poor state of all federal roads in the country, saying there was a need for urgent intervention to ensure the growth and development of the country.

“We have great concerns with the position of our roads in the entire country and there is a need to find lasting solution to this lingering problem,’’ he said.

Members  of the committee are Senators Athanasius Achonu (PDP Imo North), Bassey Akpan (PDP- Akwa Ibom North East), Mohammed Shittu (Jigawa North-east), Olanrewaju Tejuosho (Ogun Central) and Barau Jibrin (Kano North).

Others are Senators Matthew Urhoghide (Edo South), David Umaru (Niger-east), Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central), Mohammed Hassan (Yobe South), Binta Masi (Adamawa North) and Donald Alasoadura (Ondo Central).

The committee was mandated to report its findings to the Senate within two weeks.

Saraki names four Senate Committees

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has shocked Nigerians, by naming four Committees at Wednesday plenary.

The committees include:

1. Selection Committee to be headed by the Senate President.

2. Rules and Business Committee with Senator Babatunde Omoworare representing Oshodi East Senatorial District as Chairman

3. Ethics and Privileges Committee with Senator Samuel Anyanwu representing Imo East Senatorial District as Chairman

4. Ad-Committee on Publicity is to be headed by Senator Dino Melaye from Kogi West Senatorial District.

DAILYPOST recalls that the Senate President on Tuesday commenced the constitution of the Standing Committees to enable it carry out its functions effectively.

He disclosed at plenary on Tuesday that forms would be distributed to senators to indicate interest in committees they would serve.

Saraki further affirmed that each lawmaker was at liberty to belong to more than one committee, adding that they were free to also make suggestions after studying the forms.

He said , “Senators are advised to fill the forms indicating their interest in belonging to the committees of their choice and it is a maximum of five committees per senator.

“The forms will be distributed by the Clerk. You can also take a look at the form and make your submissions to the leader of the senate,’’ he said

Senate To Screen Service Chiefs On July 30

The Nigerian Senate will on Thursday, July 30, screen the Service Chiefs appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari. 

With the leadership crisis at the Upper Chamber finally resolved, with the selection of principal officers on Tuesday, the lawmakers are now set to begin their duties under a peaceful atmosphere, as they take up the screening exercise as their first task.

The date for the screening was announced by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, during Wednesday’s legislative proceedings at the National Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

President Buhari had written to the Senate on Tuesday, requesting the legislators to screen and confirm the Service Chiefs.

The Service Chiefs are the Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Abayomi Olonishakin; Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Tukur Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

Also at the plenary, the Senate constituted three special committees and one Ad-hoc Committee.

The Senate President announced that Senator Babajide Omoworare would chair the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Samuel Anyawu for Ethics and Privileges Committee and Senator Abdullahi Gobri for Senate Services Committee.

The Senate Ad-hoc Committee on publicity would also be chaired by Senator Dino Melaye.