SENATORS CONFER IMMUNITY ON SELVES

Senators yesterday introduced a novelty into Nigeria’s Constitution amendment process by conferring immunity on themselves.
If the amendment sails through, Senators and other lawmakers at both the federal and state levels like the President and Governors would enjoy immunity from prosecution.
During the debate on the report of the Conference Committee on Review of the Constitution, the Senators accepted independent candidacy for future elections and strengthened the administration of local governments in Nigeria by providing for their funding, tenure, elections, and clearly delineated their powers and responsibility as well as insulated them from undue interference from state governments in amendment to the 1999 Constitution

SENATE EMBARKS ON 8 WEEKS’ VACATION, RESUMES PLENARY SEPT 16

ABUJA—THE Senate yesterday proceeded on eight weeks’ annual vacation to resume plenary September 16.
Senate leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, had moved a motion for the adjournment for the Senate to embark on its long annual vacation but also noted that committee work would continue to enable committees tidy up their work for consideration at a special plenary slated for next Thursday, July 24.
Before the adjournment, the Senate considered and passed the conference committee report on Repeal and Re-Enactment of the Prisons Bill by the Committee on Interior.
The red chamber also received the report of its Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Defence and Army, Police Affairs and Interior on fact finding on the recent attacks and killings in Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna states.
The Senate also approved the Presidential nomination of three persons, including Aliyu Mohammed, Dahiru Hassan Balami and Stanley Lawson.

EMERGENCY RULE IN 3 STATES EXPIRES IN MAY –SENATE

Contrary to media reports, the state of emergency declared by President Goodluck Jonathan in three North- East states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe will expire on May 12 six months after it was approved, Chairman Senate committee on Rules and Business Ita Enang has said.
Speaking to Daily Trust on the telephone yesterday, Enang (PDP, Akwa Ibom) said the emergency rule takes effect from the date it was approved by the National Assembly and not the date it was declared by the President.
“The instrument of approval takes effect from the date it was approved but not when it was declared and it will last for exactly six months,” Enang said.

HOW EKWEREMADU STALLED APC’S MOTION AGAINST SANUSI’S SUSPENSION

… Fresh facts emerge on CBN gov’s removal letter
Barely two weeks after Senate President David Mark stalled 11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators from defecting to the opposetion All Progressives Congress (APC) by not reading their letter of notice in the House, his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu last Thursday refused to read letters suspending Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the nomination of his replacement, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank. Sanusi was suspended for alleged financial recklessness.
It was a coup against some APC senators who were spoiling for war over the custitutionality of Sanusi’s suspension. The Deputy Senate President who chaired last Thursday’s plenary played a fast one on Sen. Olubunmi Adetunmbi (APC) who had intimated Ekweremadu of his intention to raise a motion on the floor against President Goodluck Jonathan’s action. Ekweremadu adjourned plenary till Tuesday, March 11.
This is even as fresh facts emerged at the weekend why President Jonathan did not forward Sanusi’s suspension letter earlier than last Thursday.

11 SENATORS SET FOR SHOWDOWN WITH MARK

ABUJA—The 11 senators who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are today set for a showdown with the Senate leadership with their resolve to cross carpet irrespective of the refusal of the Senate President to read their letter of defection.
In practical demonstration of their rejection of the PDP, the 11 senators, Vanguard learnt yesterday would take their ‘Plan B’ by vacating their allocated seats among PDP senators and cross the carpet to sit with All Progressives Congress, APC senators on the other side of the Senate chamber.
Meanwhile, it was learnt yesterday that the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has received legal advice not to read the joint letter of defection sent by the 11 senators despite the insistence of the senators that he does so.

SENATE TO PROBE CBN •OVER N240BN UNAUTHORISED SPENDING •APEX BANK TO BUILD HOTEL, CONFERENCE CENTRE FOR N98BN

THE Senate will, next week, debate a motion seeking a probe of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over indications that the apex bank has spent over N240.2 billion without appropriation between 2009 and 2013.
The motion, being sponsored by the chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Ita Enang, was contained in the Senate Notice Paper, which was originally to be taken on February 5, the day the Senate adjourned to enable its members to participate in the registration exercise of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Details presented by Senator Enang, as contained in the notice paper, indicated that the CBN spent over 240.2 billion on intervention projects between 2009 and 2013, whereas the projects were not authorised and appropriated for.
The document also indicated that only three of the 21 projects embarked upon by the CBN were certified by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), in accordance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

11 SENATORS DEFECT TO APC

Eleven Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party this morning defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This is stated in a letter signed by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC interim publicity seceretary.
"Eleven Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party this morning defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). A formal letter to this effect has been delivered to Senate President David Mark and is expected to be read on the floor of the Senate this afternoon. This is only the first installment of many other Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party expected to defect to the All Progressives Congress soon. Alhaji Lai Mohammed Interim National Publicity Secretary All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos. Wednesday January 29, 2014"
Source: Daily Trust

2014 BUDGET DIVIDES SENATE ALONG PARTY LINES

Tuesday was divided along party lines when senators from the All Progressives Party (APC) called for a complete review of the 2014 Appropriation Act, saying it is anti-people, while senators on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pushed for its prompt passage after a few alterations.
The debate on the budget, which was marred by a series of interruptions through the recurring “point of order” raised by senators to checkmate different speakers, tilted along party lines even as the bill duly secured the support of PDP senators.
However, there were also senators from both parties who gave an objective assessment of the budget without prejudice to party affiliations.
Leading the debate on the Appropriation Bill, Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba recalled that the total budget of N4.6 trillion was laid before the chamber on December 19, 2013 by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

SENATORS IN WAR OF WORDS OVER RIVERS CRISIS ....SUMMON IGP

Political crisis rocking Rivers State Wednesday spilled into Senate with Senators raining abuses on one another which nearly resulted in physical combat in the red chamber.
Trouble started during debate on a motion sponsored by Senator Wilson A. Ake (APC, Rivers) and 30 others from the APC on the January 12, attack on Senator Magnus Abe during a political rally in Port Harcourt by men of the Rivers state police command.
While Senators of the APC shouted in support of Senator Ake with Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe) insisting that they have facts about the role of the Rivers State police in the crisis, on the other hand PDP Senators shouted "no".
Shortly after Senator Ake submitted his motion, Senator James Manager (PDP Delta) called Senator Lawan a 'fool' saying "you are a fool, you should shut up".
This did not go down well with his APC colleagues, and infuriated Senators Ahmad Lawan and Alkali Jajere (APC, Yobe).
Lawan then responded to Manager saying, 'you are very stupid, you are very stupid, you must apologise', and threatened to physically fight Manager if he fail to apologise.
Details later.....
Source: Daily Trust

SENATE WILL NOT DECLARE DEFECTING SENATORS SEATS VACANT – ABARIBE

The spokesman for the Senate, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe , has said that the upper chamber of the National Assembly will not declare vacant the seats of senators who defect to other parties.
Abaribe said in a statement in Abuja on Friday that it had become necessary for the Senate to distance itself from the personal opinion of one of its members, Sen. Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom).
He said Enang expressed a personal opinion by telling newsmen in Abuja on Thursday that the Senate was lawfully supposed to declare the seat of any defecting senator vacant.
The clarification is against the backdrop of some senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reportedly planning to join All Progressives Congress (APC).
Abaribe also distanced the President of the Senate, Sen. David Mark, from Enang’s statement.

COURT VACATES ARREST WARRANT AGAINST SACKED PENSION BOSS, MAINA

A federal high court sitting in Abuja  Wednesday morning, vacated the arrest warrant issued by Nigerian Senate against the sacked chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, PRTT, Abdulrasheed Maina.

Justice Adamu Bello, in his one hour judgment held that the arrest warrant issued did not comply with section 88 of the 1999 constitution as amended.

The court held that it was regrettable that the respondents failed to make available the National Assembly journal or the official government gazette, containing the process leading to the issuance of the arrest warrant.

KANO EXPLOSIONS: SENATORS ARE TALKING NONSENSE FROM ABUJA – KWANKWASO

Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has berated Nigerian senators over their stance on this Monday’s bomb explosion in Kano. The senators had accused him of indifference.
But the governor spoke from Kano yesterday, shortly after receiving the federal government delegation led by the minister of interior, Comrade Abba Moro. The members of the delegation were on a sympathy visit to the governor.

Kwanakwaso said, “They are just senators sitting in Abuja and they don’t know anything but they have to speak rubbish and absolute nonsense.

SENATORS FAULT 2-YEAR MARRIAGE RESTRICTION FOR FEMALE SECURITY PERSONNEL

Senators has described as discriminatory and obnoxious a unified service rule which provides that female officers recruited into all military, Nigeria Police Force and para-military organisations must stay unmarried for two years after which she has to apply for express permission to marry.

The provision is contained in Section 1(d) of the Official Gazette of No 15, Vol. 90 of March 2003.

In a separate resolution, the Senate approved five presidential nominees for appointment as members of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC). They are: Mrs. Ngozi Agatha Etolue from Anambra State (representing Ebonyi, Anambra, Enugu); Hon Hope Odhuluma Ikiriko from Rivers state (representing Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta); Prof. Aminu Diyo Sheidu from Kogi State (representing Kogi, Kwara); Mr. Emmanuel Chimezie Ihedioha from Abia (representing Imo, Abia) and Mr. Joseph Olufemi Akande from Osun (representing Osun, Oyo).

NORTHERNERS OWN 83% OF OIL BLOCS –SENATORS

*Lawmakers near consensus on draft PIB

South-South senators yesterday alleged serious lopsidedness in the allocation of oil blocs in the country, claiming that northerners own 83 per cent of oil wells not in control of the international oil companies.

This revelation came to light at the debate of the general principles of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, which began on Tuesday and continues today on the floor of the Senate.

ROW IN SENATE AS NORTHERN LAWMAKERS OPPOSE PIB

Tempers flared on the floor of the Senate Tuesday when the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was re-presented at the chamber after several weeks of being kept at bay, with some Northern senators vehemently rejecting three sections of the bill, while others opposed its passage.

The ruckus in the Senate coincided with the force majeure declared by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) on exports of its Bonny Light crude oil grade, following its decision to shut down its Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL) in Bayelsa State at the weekend.

The contentious sections in the PIB dwelt on the remittance of 10 per cent of net profits of oil companies to host communities, establishment of the petroleum technical bureau in the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, as well as the perceived excess powers of the minister.

CASH-FOR-JOB SCAM: SENATE INDICTS 13 FEDERAL MINISTRIES, AGENCIES

…Petitioners develop cold feet at public hearing

Senate has blown the lid on how top managers of 13 federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) collude with outsiders to run illegal cash-for-job rackets in their organisations.

The MDAs include: Ministry of Interior, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Examination Council of Nigeria (NECO), Joint Admission and Matriculation Board(JAMB), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigeria Meteorological Institute.

SENATE GIVES JONATHAN TWO DAYS TO SACK MAINA

The Senate on Wednesday gave President Goodluck Jonathan a two-day ultimatum within which to sack the Chairman of the Pension Reform  Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, from the Federal Civil Service.

The upper legislative chamber said Jonathan risked dire consequences if he failed to end Maina’s stay in office.

Senate President, David Mark, said this after a debate on a motion entitled, “Dismissal of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina for refusal to appear before the Senate.”

The debate was sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), and 107 senators, urging President Goodluck Jonathan to sack Maina from the public service. The Senate has 109 members.

Reacting to the Senate resolution on Wednesday, the PRTT said only God would save Nigeria.

SENATE ORDERS CBN TO RECOVER N35.5BN FROM JIMOH IBRAHIM

The Senate yesterday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to recover its N35.5 billion intervention fund disbursed to Air Nigeria, owned by a business mogul, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim.

The Senate had at its plenary yesterday accused Ibrahim of diverting the fund to finance other concerns other than its original mandate.

These were fallouts of the Senate adoption of the probe report of a joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, carried out on the fatal air crash involving Dana Airline on June 3, 2012.