Saraki unveils chairmen of 65 standing cittees

ABUJA—SENATE President Bukola Saraki,yesterday, in a move calculated to assuage the demands of the various tendencies in the Senate unveiled chairmen and deputy chairmen of the 65 standing committees.

Contrary to speculations that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would rub shoulders with the All Progressives Congress, APC, the ruling party clearly dominated headship of the committees with 41 slots or 63 per cent while the PDP got 24 chairmanship posts or 38 per cent

Compensates loyalists

While compensating his loyalists on the banner of the Like Minds, he also took care of his opponents in the Senate Unity Forum led by Senator Ahmed Lawan.

Members of the Like Minds that got chairmanship slots include former governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje (Appropriation); Dino Melaye (Federal Capital Territory); Shaaba Lafiagi (National Security and intelligence); Andy Uba (Public Accounts); Rafiu Adebayo (Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions); Isa Hamman Misau (Navy) and Ahmed Rufai Sani, (Marine Transport) among others.

And for the SUF, they were Senator Ahmed Lawan (Defence); Senator George Akume (Army); Adamu Abdullahi (Agriculture); Senator Barnabas Gemade (Housing); Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Women Affairs); Olugbenga Ashafa (Land Transport); Bayero Nafada (Inter- Parliamentary Affairs); Abu Ibrahim (Police Affairs); Kabir Marafa (National Identity and National Population); Rabiu Kwankaso (National Planning and Economic Affairs) among others.

According to the breakdown, the Pro- Ahmed Lawan group got 13 chairmanship positions.

PDP senators with juicy committees

Some PDP senators were also given what could be termed juicy committees to chair like Andy Uba (Public Accounts); Duro Samuel Faseyi (Air Force); Uche Ekwunife (Downstream); John Owan Enoh (Finance); George Sekibo (Interior); Ben Murray Bruce (Privatizations); and Olaka Johnson Nwogu (Environment) among others.

Principal officers denied chairmanship positions

Principal officers were given vice chairmanship positions like Bala Ibn Na’allah (Ethics and Privileges and Aviation); Francis Alimikhena (Housing); Godswill Akpbabio (Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters); Philip Aduda (Land Transport); and Olusola Adeyeye (Primary Health Care and Communicative Diseases).

Mark opts out

It was however gathered that immediate past Senate President, Senator David Mark was said to have opted out of serving as chairman of any standing committee.

Uzodinma, Nnaji, Boroffice retain positions

Senators Hope Uzodinma, Gilbert Nnaji and Robert Ajayi Boroffice retained the chairmanship positions of Aviation, Communications and Science and Technology, respectively, which they occupied during the 7th Senate.

However, Senators Emmanuel Paulker, James Manager, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Kabiru Gaya among others did not retain their positions.

While Paulker moved to the Committee on Establishment; Manager moved to Power; Gaya now heads Works and Abaribe now chairs Committee on Information and National Orientation.

North-Central gets lion’s share

With the breakdown, the North Central zone, where Senate President Saraki hails from the highest number of the positions. It got 12 committees and with Senate President Saraki as Chairman, Committee on Selection, the zone has 13. It is followed by the North-East, which has 11 chairmen; North-West, 11; South-West, 11; South-East, 10; and South-South, 10.

CCT: Saraki’s trial forces adjournment till next Tuesday

Meanwhile, the Senate will not sit today as it has adjourned plenary till next Tuesday.

Vanguard gathered that the adjournment became imperative because of Senate President Saraki’s appearance at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT with the Senators expected to accompany him to face the case of alleged false declaration of assets as raised against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB.

Immediate past Chairman of Ad-hoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye explained that the adjournment would give members of four Committees that have been saddled with responsibilities enough time to do their work and present their reports to the Senate, next week.

Credit: Vanguard

SURE-P: Senate asks Buhari to probe Jonathan

CITING  mismanagement of funds, the Senate, yesterday, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to begin immediate probe of his predecessor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, in his handling of the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P.

The red chamber said it was imperative that President Buhari ask his predecessor to account for every penny spent during the latter‘s administration on the SURE-P and other poverty alleviation programmes.

This came just as it ruled against the  implementation of the N5,000 monthly stipend to unemployed Nigerian youths as the President promised during his campaign.

The advice to probe Jonathan was sequel to an additional prayer moved by Senator Babajide Christopher Omoworare to Senator Bassey Albert Akpan-sponsored motion, entitled: “Urgent need to curb the soaring rate of unemployment in Nigeria,” which he presented for consideration during yesterday’s plenary.

After the initial recommendations of the motion, Senator Philip Aduda raised an additional prayer, urging the Federal Government to fulfill one of its numerous campaign promises.

“The Federal Government should immediately commence the payment of the N5,000 monthly stipend it promised during the pre-election campaign,” Aduda moved.

The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, rose and seconded the additional prayer. But Omoworare raised the Senate Standing Order 53(6) to oppose the additional prayer.

Bickering between APC, PDP

This led to bickering between senators of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and opposition Peoples Democratic, PDP.

The Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, however, intervened, after about 22 minutes to bring the bickering to an end.

Saraki asked Aduda to repeat his additional prayer, which he latter did.

When Saraki put the additional prayer to voice vote, the shout of ‘ayes’  from the opposition senators signifying their call for strict implementation of the President’s campaign promise was overwhelming but the Senate President, however, hit his gavel for the ‘nay’  shout from the ruling party senators, who were against the implementation  of the policy.

The Senate President, thereafter, gave Omoworare the privilege of raising another additional prayer.

Moves to probe Jonathan

“I want to move that the immediate past government be made to account for every penny spent on SURE-P and other poverty alleviation programmes, and I so move, Mr. President,” Omoworare said.

When Saraki put the question to voice vote, the ayes response came from the APC senators, but the PDP senators kept mute to the nay call.

In the motion, Akpan observed that the latest figures of Nigeria’s soaring unemployment situation by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC) has increased to 8.2 percent in the second quarter of 2015 from 7.5 percent in the first quarter of 2015 and 6.4 percent in the last quarter of 2014.

“The latest statistics as released by the bureau reveals that economically active population, or working age comprising Nigerians within the age range of 15 to 64, is now 103.5 million, increasing from 102.8 million in the last quarter of 2015, while the unemployed labour force now stands at 74 million Nigerian youths. This is truly a calamity,” he noted.

ONLY BUHARI CAN FIGHT ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR – HON JIKA

A frontline lawmaker representing Darazo/Ganjuwa federal constituency of Bauchi sate and Chairman House Committee on Police Affairs, Hon Hariru Dauda Jika has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for decisively tackling the hydra headed monster of corruption afflicting Nigeria: I believe that Only a courageous leader like President Buhari can seize the bull by the horns and confront the cabal that has been looting the nation’s treasury and resources since time immemorial. Past leaders were too fearful or too neck deep in corrupt practices to fight the war that president Buhari is now waging and you can see that it has led to many corrupt officials voluntarily handling over their criminal loot while others have surrendered assets running into billions of naira. I know that president Buhari will not relent until justice and equity is done and the country will be on the right track.

On the committee chairmanship appointments made; a visibly elated Hon Hariru Jika stated that there was no way every member can be chairman or deputy chairman and that the primary issue for all and sundry to place their hands on deck and work assiduously to move the national Assembly and the nation in particular forward in all material particulars. We are not here to work for our own pocket or to serve selfish interests but to work for the betterment of the society, so let us close ranks and support the house leadership to ensure the advancement of the house legislative agenda?

BUHARI’S ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR IS ALREADY BEARING RESULTS-HON YAKUBU

A front line lawmaker in the House of Reps, representing Gombi/Hong federal constituency, Hon Baba Yusuf Yakubu has hailed Buhari’s Anti-corruption agenda.

 The anti-corruption war is what Nigeria needs right now, the country has been bastardised by past leaders and this God sent President Muhammadu Buhari has been struggling for many years, going for election but because of the corruption in the electoral system, he could not make it but to this time around, we thank God for Professor Jega, we thank God for the card reader, we thank God for the international community who insisted that the votes of Nigerians must count and you can see that things are changing already because of the body language things are working, that shows you that we have a very strong cabal that has held the country to ransom in the past. But from the body language of Mr. president we have stability in the power sector, just from the body language we have the refineries working and the capacity is increasing on a daily basis, and so many things are happening.

On the ministerial appointments made, Hon Buba yakubu stated that he was satisfied with the appointments made:  of course I am satisfied with all the appointees because they were made by Mr. President and once I have confidence in the President, I have confidence in his decisions. He has taken his time in making the appointments and I am very satisfied with them. They have all been tested and trusted, is it Fashola who has transformed Lagos? Is it Ngige who has performed wonders as Anambra state governor, is it Audu Ogbeh who did well when he was minister and so forth. They are good and will perform better under Mr. President’s direction.