Tag: Ahmad Lawan

COVID-19: Lawan kicks against social distancing violation in Senate

The President of the Senate , Senator Ahmad Lawan , kicked against violation of the principle of Social Distancing by Senators during plenary Tuesday .

Lawan who made the open observation while reading votes and proceedings of last Tuesday ‘s sitting for adoption .

Specifically, the President of the Senate admonished senators at the back role to sit far apart from one another in line with the precautionary measures against spread of Coronavirus .

” Distinguished colleagues , as leaders and lawmakers , please let us ensure that the principle of Social Distancing is observed .

” The principle is not observed at the back seats going by the way Distinguished colleagues are seated .

” Please let the principle be reflected straight away by ensuring the required gaps between the seats “, he said.

Few minutes after the admonition , the Senate President , was forced to repeat same again when he told Senator Uche Iyom Ekwunife ( PDP Anambra central) , that she was too close to the Deputy President of the Senate , Senator Ovie Omo- Agege ( APC Delta Central ).

Lawan added that all the Senators should ensure that their face mask is on at all times in the chamber.

He specifically admonished that any senator who speaks should do so with full usage of face mask.

May 12, 2020
COVID-19: Lawan, Gbajabiamila tackle Buhari’s minister, fault disbursement of funds

The leadership of the National Assembly has faulted the way the Social Investment Programme of the Federal Government is being implemented and called for an enabling legislation in line with global best practices.

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila made their reservations about the scheme at a meeting held on Tuesday with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq and some top officials of the Ministry.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase and some other principal officers and members from both Chambers.

The meeting convened by the leadership of the National Assembly against the backdrop of the ongoing Federal Government intervention initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the most vulnerable Nigerians.

Lawan and Gbajabiamila made it abundantly clear that the Social Investment Programme which was established in 2016 under the Presidency but which is now under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs needed a reform to make it more efficient and effective.

In his opening remarks, Lawan said the National Assembly is very much interested in the current Intervention initiatives of the ministry particularly with respect to the disbursement aimed at assuaging the plight of the poorest of the poor Nigerians against COVID-19.

“We feel that we need to work together with you to ensure that there is effectiveness, there is efficiency, that those who are supposed to benefit, benefit directly,” Lawan said.

The Senate President said the National Assembly is concerned about the conditions and guidelines for the intervention programmes which are specifically directed at the most vulnerable Nigerians.

“When for example, some conditions are set, that those who will benefit will have to go online, through the internet or BVN and the rest of it.

“I want to tell you that the majority of those who are supposed to benefit have no access to power. They have no access to Internet. They have no bank account, so no BVN.

“Infact, many of them don’t even have phones and these are the poorest of the poor. Yet, some of the conditions or guidelines which you set inadvertently leave them out,” Lawan said.

The Senate President said the poorest of the poor have not been sufficiently captured by the programme.

“We believe that when we work together, the Executive side of government and the National Assembly as representatives of the people, we will be able to reach much more of these people who are in serious distress even before the Coronavirus.

“Now with Coronavirus, they need our attention more than ever before. The time has come that we review the ways and manner we use to deliver the services under the SIP to Nigerians.

“We need to be better in terms of strategy for delivery and definitely, what we have been doing in the past cannot deliver exactly what will solve the challenges of the most ordinary and most vulnerable Nigerians.

“So we need to put on our thinking cap and work out some strategies on how to identify the poorest persons in Nigeria. I think we have not been able to reach far out there to get them properly captured,” Lawan said.

Speaking in the same vein, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gbajabiamila told the minister that she is right now in the eye of the storm because all eyes are on her.

“Your job right now, is probably the most important as we speak, because you are saddled with the responsibility of alleviating ‘poverty’ or the hardship, due to no fault of anyone, being thrust upon Nigerians, and I know that you came into a system, or you met a system that has nothing to do with you, but what we will be asking you to do is for you to change that system.

“When you walk into a system, no system is 100% perfect. The word reform is something we use all the time, and this is the one time when that word reform must be used in the truest sense of that word.

“The questions are going to be asked, how do you come about your list, how comprehensive is your distribution list? What are the parameters? What is the geographical spread? So these are tough questions that are going to be asked but I want you to look at them as frank questions that we need to ask.

“If you really want to define the meaning of representation, if that was being practiced in the real meaning of representation, then we shouldn’t be here. Because all the questions we want to ask, we should already have the answers. We should be providing those answers to the Nigerian people we represent.

“But if they ask me, as the speaker of the House, or ask the Senate President or any of my colleagues here, we are going to be struggling for answers. If we were really representing, then we will not need to ask because we will have the answers,” Gbajabiamila said.

The Speaker said the relevant Committees in the House have been complaining bitterly even before the Minister took over the scheme about the inability to access information about the scheme.

Gbajabiamila said Nigeria’s SIP is similar to the Unemployment Insurance Act in the UK and the Social Security Act in the US.

“There is a lot of take away from this COVID-19. One of them is the International Best Practices. My point is that these things are backed by law. They are codified by the legislature so that these issues and these questions will not arise,” he said.

The Speaker urged the minister to talk with the relevant Committees and the National Assembly leadership on the best way to codify the scheme.

In her response, the minister said the SIP was moved to her ministry for “sustainability and institutionalisation”.

“I am very pleased to hear that we are going to work together to see that we give a legal backing to this programme because that is the only way to go,” the minister said.

April 7, 2020
Bade emirate appoints senate president as Sardauna

President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday received a letter of appointment as the Sardauna of Bade by the Mai Bade, Mai Abubakar Umar Suleiman.

Bade is an Emirate in Yobe State and the Mai Bade is the paramount ruler of the emirate with headquarters in Gashua, home of the senate president.

Mr Ola Awoniyi, Special Adviser on Media to Lawan said in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday that the appointment letter was handed to the senate president at the National Assembly by a delegation of kingmakers and title holders from Bade Emirate led by Alhaji Mohammed Saleh.

The brief ceremony was witnessed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila, some principal officers and members of both chambers.

Receiving the letter, Lawan who was also turbaned some 10 years ago as Danmasanin Bade, expressed his gratitude to Mai Bade and his subjects for honouring him.

He assured the delegates that he would not disappoint his people by the appointment and promised to live by the rules.

Earlier, leader of the delegation, Alhaji Saleh, said that the new title given to Lawan was to show that his people were proud of him and what he was doing.

March 26, 2020
Let all leaders be United against insecurity, Lawan pleads

…APC, PDP and others should join hands to fight insecurity

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on Thursday begged all leaders devoid of party affiliations to join hands to help combat insecurity in Nigeria.

The Senate President made this plea while ruling on Senator Kasshim Shettima’s motion on Auno attacks in Maiduguri on the floor of the Senate.

Lawan said”all political leaders and non political leaders should be United against insecurity in Nigeria as insecurity recognises nobody.

“PDP or APC leaders should be more engaged in the fight against insecurity in the country and we should be more focused and united now to succeed.

“Our adhoc Committee on security matters has been actively involved with all the security agencies as they have been interfacing with both serving and retired security officers.

“At the end of the day we will brainstorm on it and pass a resolution and I see no reason our police should not be well equipped and we’ll funded as this is not a loss.

February 13, 2020
TNG Analysis: NASS struggling to reject toga of rubber stamp

…vow to wear cap of a watchdog

…made bold moves to correct impression

Since the ninth Assembly resumed legislative business last werk Tuesday, the signals and actions that signposted the National Assembly clearly indicate that there is need to correct the rubber stamp image impression created in the last six months of its existence.

Twenty four hours before resumption, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan vehemently rejected the title in a press conference stating clearly that it can’t be business as usual.

Lawan did not mince words he told whoever cared to listen that the ninth Assembly is focused and ready to transform the lives of Nigerians positively.

The speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila however had a different thing to say declaring that he was not elected to fight the executive arm.

In a nutshell telling Nigerians he cared less if the Assembly adorns the toga of a rubber stamp.

Erasing an eligible impression created by the ninth legislature maybe a little bit difficult as the first six months of NASS had exhibited all the traces of a rubber stamp body.

Virtually all executive bills scaled through without much stress and the enveloped 2020 budget too enjoyed such a treatment.

But the new swan song of the upper legislature last week clearly depicts a new picture of the upper legislative body.

Hon Benjamin Kalu, the spokesperson of the House had also told journalists last week that the House was not a rubber stamp.

He said “we’ll bark and bite if need be and put on the cap of the watchdog of the society as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended.

Last week and this week showcased a little of the watchdog role Kalu mentioned in his weekly briefing.

The House making a bold move resolved that President Buhari should sack all his service chiefs and thereafter summoned them to show their beautiful faces before reps.

This was graciously respected by the service chiefs who had closed door sessions with the Lawmakers.

Positive development as this for once gave an impression that a national legislature exists in Nigeria.

The Senate on the other hand declared a full day session to discuss matters strictly on insecurity in Nigeria and had a closed door chat with the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Adamu.

The situation if well placed and priortised by the Lawmakers, the rubber stamp toga may gradually water down but the first six months really painted the ninth Assembly as a mere extension of the executive arm of government.

February 6, 2020
Political bigwigs storm Kano for wedding of Senate President’s son

The bigwigs in Nigeria’s politics, top brass in government and captains of industry converged on the ancient city of Kano on Friday for the Wedding Fatiah of the first son of Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, the President of the Senate and his bride Amani.

Amani is the daughter of a business man, Alhaji Bala Umar, a Kano indigene.

The marriage ceremony began on Wednesday with the bridal shower or Kamu in Hausa, followed by a dinner on Thursday. Both events held at Meena Event Centre in Kano.

The climax of the event was the Wedding Fatiah which held on Friday at the popular Al Furquan Mosque, GRA, Kano.

It was like a parade of who is who in Nigeria’s politics at the wedding Fatiah which was conducted by the Chief Imam of the mosque, Dr Bashir Aliyu Omar Sadaki.

Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, at the ceremony, gave out in marriage Amani while the Yobe State Governor, Mai Bala Buni received the bride.

Members of the red chamber led by the Senate Leader, Dr Yahaya Abdullahi and the green Chamber, led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as expected, registered their presence in large number apparently as a show of solidarity to the Senate President who is chairman of the National Assembly.

The roll call includes both former and serving governors, ministers and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar.

December 28, 2019
Christmas/new year: Senate President felicitates Nigerians

Nigeria Senate President Ahmad Lawan has felicitated Nigerians, particularly the Christian faithful, on the occasion of Christmas and new year.

Lawan, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said:

“I heartily felicitat Nigerians, particularly the Christian faithful, on the Christmas and new year festivities.

“Christians and Nigerians in general, must not forget the essence of the season, which is a reminder of the birth of Jesus Christ and the ideals for which he lived.

“The birth of Jesus Christ is a great example of humility, He lived and preached peace, love, tolerance and self-sacrifice, and left mankind with the hope of eternal joy.

” These virtues transcend religion and deserve to be embraced by all Nigerians, especially as we go through the challenges of nation-building and development.

“In the spirit of the season, we, as a people and government must remember the weak and the most vulnerable in our midst and do the best we can to bring them succour and help them to also feel the joy of the season.

“I wish you all journey mercies as you move around to share the season with families and loved ones and enjoin all to celebrate with moderation”.

He said the National Assembly, in its legislative agenda, has resolved to work for Nigeria, by enacting legislations that serve the generality of Nigerians.

“Your representatives in the assembly, since their inauguration six months ago, have devoted themselves to facilitating good governance and stimulating the economy to raise the standard of living of Nigerians.

“Their decisions on critical sectors of the economy, before they adjourned for the Christmas and new year, were essentially to make year 2020 and beyond prosperous for all.

” The timely passage of the 2020 Budget, which was promptly assented to by the president, signposts the determination of the assembly to work for Nigerians, ” he said.

He said further that the modest achievements of the assembly within the short period were made possible by the bi-partisan approach to national issues by the federal lawmakers and collaborative harmonious relationship, with other arms of government.

“I assure you that this synergy at the highest level of governance will be sustained in 2020 and beyond,” he said.(

December 25, 2019
2020 Budget: Ahmad Lawan ignites hope in National Assembly and Nigeria, By Abubakar Sidiq Usman

By Abubakar Sidiq Usman

The ninth Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made history on Thursday, December 5, with the passage of the 2020 Appropriation Bill into law, thereby fulfilling the promise of the legislature to return the budget cycle to January – December period as it used to be.

Until few years after the return to democracy in 1999, Nigerians had become used to the January to December budget cycle such that individuals, businesses and corporations plan their activities in line with the cycle, but the ritual was distorted due largely to disagreement between the legislature and the executive, resulting in not only late presentation of the budget, but late passage and assent by the president.

The situation of late passage of the budget got to its peak during the 8th National Assembly particularly because of the uneasy relationship which resulted in incessant friction between the Presidency and the Bukola Saraki led National Assembly.

The 2019 budget, for example, was presented to the National Assembly on December 19, 2018. It took the legislature a little over four months before it was passed into law on April 30, 2019 and assented to by the President on May 27, 2019. The injection of projects, particularly those to be executed in the constituencies of the lawmakers, was partly responsible for the delay. In exercise of their powers of appropriation as expressed in the 1999 Constitution in Section 80, Subsections 1- 4, the legislators inserted their constituency projects into the budget. The President, on the other hand, kicked against the insertions, subjected the passed budget to almost a month of vetting to sort out the grey areas, thereby delaying presidential assent.

The resultant effect of development like this as we have seen with many budgets is the incalculable harm to the economy. Infrastructure projects, which catalyse economic development, suffer the most and as this happens, the welfare of the people take a plunge.

The passage of the 2020 budget by the Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday has however brought renewed hopes in the National Assembly and Nigeria. Upon assuming the mantle of leadership of the National Assembly, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, vowed to return the country to the January – December budget cycle. To achieve this, several parleys were held between the Presidency and principal officers of the National Assembly, the result of which culminated in the presentation of the budget on October 8.

The Senate President took it further by mandating the standing committees of the ninth Senate, with concurrence from the House of Representatives, to use the remaining period in the month of October to carry out the defence of the budget by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Lawan’s resolve further received a boost with the directive by the President that all heads of MDAs must not travel out of the country until they have successfully defended their respective budget. The National Assembly Complex thus became a sort of Mecca as heads of the various MDAs trooped in to take turns. The various committees dutifully carried out their assignment, most times worked very late in the night and presented their reports to the Appropriation Committee, which in turn played its own role before the eventual presentation and subsequent passage of the budget by the Senate on December 5, 2019.

Before the passage of the 2020 budget, the Ahmad Lawan led National Assembly had already taken the initiative to ensure that the implementation of the budget does not go the way of previous ones. It is common knowledge that the budgets of precious years have witnessed abysmal performance and much of this is critically affected by the poor revenue inflow, especially as oil production and export remained below the Budget estimates and the general performance of the economy impacting negatively on non-oil revenue. But desirous of significantly putting an end to this ugly trend, the Ahmad Lawan-led-Senate had before now passed three critical bills that would not only see to the generation of more revenues, but will also ensure that the process of implementing the budget, especially its capital components are fast tracked and the desired results achieved.

The first among the three critical bills is the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act (amendment) Bill, passed into law on October 15 with the expectation of making Nigeria richer by at least $1.5bn in 2020. According to the Senate, the IOCs had failed to remit a total sum of N7trn ($21bn) to the Federal Government in the last 26 years based on non-implementation of the PSC Act. This was even when the law provided for a review anytime the price of crude oil exceeds $20 per barrel or every 10 years since the passage of the law which successive government and the legislature failed to do until the coming of the ninth Senate under the able leadership of Distinguished Senator Ahmad Lawan.

It is therefore a landmark achievement by the ninth National Assembly as an additional injection of $1.5bn to the national treasury in 2020 as a result of the amendment of the act can only mean one thing – more revenue for the provision of critical infrastructure across the country.

Next is the Finance Bill, 2019, presented alongside the 2020 Appropriation Bill to the joint session of the National Assembly. One of the key components of the amended bill is to increase government revenues through various measures part of which include widening the tax base for non-resident companies, increase in Value Added Tax from 5% to 7.5% and removing the tax exemption granted for dividends or incomes received from companies charged under Petroleum Profits Tax Act.

Equally important is the passage of the amendment to the Public Procurement Act. According to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the “public procurement process in Nigeria has been a big bottleneck for some time probably since it was passed.” This is one reason why many projects earmarked for execution in a budget cycle are never achieved because of the processes involved, but as a result of the several provisions included in the amendment, the procurement process will become more simplified and easily achieved.

With the three critical bills put together and the return of the budget cycle from January-December, the road is now clearer to actualise the objectives of the 2020 budget with an early start and more revenues to implement Infrastructure projects that will catalyse economic development and take Nigeria to the next level. Senate President Ahmad Lawan justified this in his remark after the passage of the 2020 appropriations bill when he said “With the recent passage of landmark legislations such as the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) Act, Finance Bills & Public Procurement Bills by the National Assembly, the Executive arm of government is now sufficiently empowered to ensure successful implementation of the 2020 Budget.”

It is therefore safe to say that Distinguished Senator Ahmad Lawan has delivered on his promise of an early passage of the budget and by extension leading a National Assembly that works for Nigerians.

Abubakar Sidiq Usman

Special Assistant on New Media

Office of the President of the Senate

December 9, 2019
Osun: Lawan charges Oyetola to be magnanimous in victory

The President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan on Friday congratulated the Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun over his victory at the Supreme Court, urging him to be magnanimous in victory.
Lawan, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mohammed Isa described the judgement as victory to democracy, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the people of Osun.
He urged Oyetola to put behind him past events during the electioneering and its aftermath litigation, and concentrate on tackling the challenges facing the state.
He urged him to run an all-inclusive government where everybody in the state would be carried along.
Lawan said: “Your victory is a great joy and achievement for our party.
“We are delighted that after a long legal battle, Osun state can finally settle down for good governance.
“My advice to you as you champion the course of governance in the state is to see every indigene of the state as equal partner and stakeholder in driving the wheel of progress.
“Let your reign be exceptional by being magnanimous and focused.”
Lawan also called on the people to give maximum support and cooperation to the governor for the interest and progress of the state.
“Now that the legal battle is over, let us come together and embrace one another in the general interest of the State,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Oyetola was declared winner of the Osun governorship legal tussle at the Supreme Court which sat in Abuja on Friday.

July 5, 2019
10m Nigerian children are out of School – Lawan

The President of the Senate, Sen. Ahmad Lawan has decried the growing population of Nigerian children who are currently out of school, which he said stood at 10 million.
Lawan said this on Tuesday, while reading his welcome address at the plenary.
He said that the issue of children dropping out of schools was a concern to him as a former university lecturer and to the 9^th Senate, saying that efforts would be made to address the challenge.
“If there is one issue that is dear to me and which we must all take very seriously, it is that more than 10 million of our children are out of school.
“As a former lecturer who has also in the past chaired the House of Representatives Committee on Education, I subscribe to the view that all children, no matter where they live or what their circumstances, have the right to quality education.“ Even though primary education is officially free and compulsory, over 10 million of the country’s children aged 5 – 14 years are out of school.
“This is a challenge for us in the next four years.
“I am well aware that the problems of our country are quite enormous but they are not insurmountable.
“ If we all work together as members of the same government, with different roles, we will achieve our goals to better the lot of the Nigerian people.’’
Lawan also said efforts on how best to tackle growing inequality, security challenge would form the legislative agenda.
He said the Senate would also consolidate on the oil sector reforms started by the 8th assembly.
He said the Senate would help the executive to reinvigorate the war against corruption with necessary legislations.
“ I intend to work closely with President Buhari in the interest of Nigeria without compromising the integrity of the National Assembly as an independent arm of government with oversight powers.
“As lawmakers, one of the powerful tools we have for our work is the power of oversight which is meant to enhance transparency and accountability.
“In exercising these powers, we will not only review, monitor and supervise projects being implemented by the executive, we will critically examine them vis-à-vis the cost and whether they align with our national aspirations.
“And we will follow the progress of these projects right from conception to when they are finally delivered to the people, but we will do so with every sense of responsibility.
“The system of checks and balances which we practice in Nigeria today was enshrined to safeguard the values of justice and the rule of law and deliver public good.
“Therefore, in a season when majority of Nigerians are more concerned with outcomes that reflect their concerns, the best way to serve that interest is through cooperation and collaboration.
He said given the dwindling resources amidst rising population, the executive and legislature must work together to deliver essential services to Nigerians.
“ So, in exercising our mandate as lawmakers, we must at all times, and in all circumstances, be guided by how our action will positively impact the greater majority of our people.
“Each of us, as lawmakers, must also resolve that the exchange of views, especially within this hallowed chambers, will be constructive and that we will respect one another.
“ On my part, I pledge to lead in a bipartisan and unifying manner.’’
The News of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate also constituted a 13-member ad-hoc committee to fashion out a legislative agenda for the senate.
The committee, which has two weeks to produce a legislative agenda has Sen. Adamu Alero representing Kebbi Central as Chairman.
Other members of the committee consists of Senators’ Chimaroke Nnamani, Ibrahim Baru, Abdulfatai Buhari, Aisha Dahiru, Uche Ekwunife, Ifeanyi Uba, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Istifanus Gyan,among others.

July 2, 2019