TheNewsGuru

Tag: Bukola Saraki

  • Senate committees to look into issues of voter intimidation

    The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday resolved to investigate the alleged cases of voter intimidation, harassment and disenfranchisement by security agencies in the recently conducted Kwara House of Representatives bye-election.

    In a point of order, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim revealed that: “Less than 45% of registered voters showed up for the election because of the harassment and arrest going on. The DSS were protecting only members of the ruling party. Let us bring this to the notice of well-meaning Nigerians and the International Community.”

    Speaking on the development, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki said:

    “We must rise above partisan views. We have the responsibility as representatives of the people to ensure that elections do not involve issues of harassment to the nation and the security operatives must be seen to be non-partisan.

    “It is very important that we ensure that our security agencies look into this matter not just because it has affected members of the Senate. We have elections coming in 2019 and it is important that we play our role to ensure the security agencies allow Nigerians carry out their civic responsibility to go and vote.

    “A situation where individuals are not allowed to carry out their vote is a recipe for disaster. We must prevent it. An ad-hoc Committee should look into it and give us recommendations on how best to address this before next year because this is a matter of great importance & we must do something to call the security agencies to order so as to ensure free & fair elections,” the Senate President said.

    The Senate then resolved to mandate the Committee on Police and National Intelligence to investigate this matter and report back to the full plenary.

     

  • Police Reform Bill will help curb kidnappings across Nigeria – Saraki

    Police Reform Bill will help curb kidnappings across Nigeria – Saraki

    Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday said the Police Reform Bill will help to curb kidnappings across the nation.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the Senate President, therefore, asked the Senate Committee on Police Affairs to fast-track the public hearing of the Bill.

    This followed a point of order raised by Senator Tijjani Kaura, who drew the attention of the Senate to the kidnapping of 100 persons in Zamfara State.

    Speaking on the point of order, the Senate President said: “This is of great concern because of the level of kidnapping we are seeing in the state. I am happy that it is Senator Garba heading the Committee on Police.

    “We have the Police Reform Bill that will address some of the issues because I think the institutional issues need to be addressed to solve medium and long term problems; they are clearly issues of manpower, training, equipment and funding.

    “These are issues that we must address holistically. We need to move very fast. Sen. Garba should fast track the process and let us have that bill ready for public hearing and come here to review it and see how, with the support of the police, we can effectively fight crimes and prevent these kinds of situations.

     

  • Breaking: Buhari appoints Musa Abaji as new Supreme Court Justice

    President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Justice Musa Abaji as a new Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Senate President Bukola Saraki made this known while reading letters from President Buhari during plenary session on Wednesday.

    In one of the letters, Buhari said the appointment of Justice Abaji was according to the advice of the National Judicial Council.

    “In line with 1999 constitution upon the advice of the National Judicial Council, I hereby refer for confirmation the appointment of Justice Musa Abaji as the Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    “While hoping that this is expeditiously considered by the Senate, accept the assurances of my highest regard,” the letter read.

     

  • Senate condemns, investigates sealing of Akwa Ibom House

    The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday directed investigation into the sealing of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly by security operatives.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the Senate directed its police committee to investigate the circumstances to find out what happened and report back within 48 hours.

    A combined force of Police, Army and Civil Defense took over the entire complex of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on Wednesday morning, barring even staff from gaining entrance.

    Senator Bassey Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom North-East in the Senate, citing orders 42 and 52, informed the Senate of the development.

    “Laying siege on the State Assembly is a serious offense,” Senator Shehu Sani stated.

    Condemning the development, Senate President Bukola Saraki said, “As parliamentarians, we should not go partisan on this issue. If it’s true that security agents have invaded the House of Assembly, it is wrong and I must condemn such brutality; but if it’s so, we should not support it.

    “There should be an investigation quickly to establish this and that committee should report back to us and tell us once it’s confirmed. Then we can take it from there”.

     

  • Ekweremadu accuses Buhari’s govt of giving less attention to South East

    Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government is giving less attention to the Eastern part of the country.

    TheNewsGuru(TNG) reports Ekweremadu, representing Enugu West in the Senate, stated this during plenary on Wednesday.

    TheDeputy Senate President cites orders 42 and 52, and raised a motion on railway development in Nigeria.

    “For a country to survive there has to be equity, fairness and justice. Less attention is being given to the Eastern part of Nigeria,” he stated.

    According to Senator Shehu Sani, who contributed to the motion, the Senate had invited the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, who promised that Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri route would be the next priority.

    “Nothing has been done,” Senator Sani said, adding: “That line has a lot of political, social and economic advantage as it can open many opportunities”.

    Senator James Manager opined that the matter is of great interest to all Nigerians.

    “I remember following these lines as a young boy, that part of this country is very stressful. Everything about the railway lines will improve the Nigerian economy as a whole” he said.

    Contributing to the motion, Senator Ahmad Lawan said, “The problem is that there is only rehabilitation and not modernization. What is given to other parts of Nigeria should also be given to the Eastern part.

    “Mr. President has said that every capital in Nigeria should be linked to a railway line. Let us ensure this is done”.

    Asmoved by Senator Sani, the Senate resolved to invite the Minister of Transport to brief the Committee on Land Transport and Local & Foreign Debt on the Federal Government plans for rail development from the Port Harcourt and Enugu railway axis.

    “Let’s ensure that this happens so that there is equity in the railway development across the entire country,”- Senate President Bukola Saraki stated conclusively.

     

  • Senate quickly adjourned to November 20th

    The Nigerian Senate quickly adjourned plenary session after Senate President Bukola Saraki led principal officers into the chambers on Tuesday.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the Senate adjourned to November 20th after Senator Babakaka Garbai moved for the approval of votes and proceedings of Thursday, 8th November 2018, with Senator Emmanuel Paulker seconding the motion.

    Senator Philip Aduda cites Order 10 and moves that since a majority of Senators are on oversight duty, plenary be adjourned. DSP, Ike Ekweremadu rises to second.

    “This is in line with order 10.3; if we do not have quorum, we need to adjourn. That being said, all Senators currently on oversight function should try to complete all duties before the end of the week,” Saraki stated.

    After Senate Leader moved that all other items on the order paper be stood down to another legislative day, and Minority Leader seconding, plenary was adjourned to Tuesday, 20th November, 2018.

     

  • Breaking: Atiku returns from Dubai, undergoes thorough security checks

    Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has returned to Nigeria after an over two weeks vacation trip to Dubai.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Atiku returned from Dubai in a private jet on Sunday at about 1:30 am.

    TNG gathers a special security squad comprised of the Army, Police, Custom and Immigration officers carried out a thorough security check on the former Vice President and his aircraft.

    During the search, video recording gadgets and other devices were used to capture the exercise but nothing implicating was found on the Adamawa-born politician.

    However, supporters of the presidential candidate have condemned the security check, describing it as harassment.

    According to Ilemona Onoja, aide to Senate President Bukola Saraki, Atiku was harassed by the special security squad.

    “Apparently, lies propaganda and intimidation are going to be fixtures in this election,” he tweeted.

    Also, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce condemned the security check.

    “Nigeria is not a fascist state. We will not return to a jackboot dictatorship,” he tweeted.

     

  • Assassination: Ekweremadu narrates ordeal

    Assassination: Ekweremadu narrates ordeal

    After escaping an assassination attempt on Tuesday morning, Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has narrated his ordeal with the assailants.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Ekweremadu narrated his ordeal at Senate plenary, revealing that he called the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, without getting through to him.

    “I called the IGP and other security agencies, their phones were switched off. The assailants left in a hurry and left some of their weapons. I fear for my life. This country is no longer safe,” the Senate Deputy President said.

    According to Special Adviser to the Senate Deputy President on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, who made the incident known, “The armed men discreetly evaded the security at Ekweremadu’s Apo Quarters residence, to gain entry into his house”.

    Wife of Ekweremadu, Nwanneka Ekweremadu, and one of his sons were in the house at the time of the attack.

    According to Anichukwu, “It was at the Senator’s bedroom that a struggle ensued, leading to the arrest of one of the assailants with dangerous weapons and housebreaking devices, while the rest managed to escape”.

    The arrested member of the gang has, however, refused to divulge any information on the operation and has been handed over to the police.

    Meanwhile, following the incident, Senate President Bukola Saraki said “The security situation in the FCT is quite unfortunate. It is even more disturbing how poor the response by the Nigerian Police was”.

    “We hope that the police are not being partisan in the way they treat cases. I hope the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police will find out exactly what happened so that they can ensure that this kind of thing does not happen again.

    “We will continue to do our best to see how we can address the security situation in this country and see what we can do to give the security agencies all our support,” he further stated.

     

  • NASS to mount pressure for presidential assent of PIGB, says Saraki

    President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki says the National Assembly will continue to mount necessary pressure to get presidential assent on the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB).
    Saraki spoke at a dinner as part of activities at the ongoing 24th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Monday.
    The dinner which ended late in the night, was attended by trade experts, industrialists, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operators and financial experts among other dignitaries.
    According to Saraki, the resolve by the legislature to mount pressure to ensure the bill gets presidential assent has become necessary, given its importance to development of the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.
    President Muhammadu Buhari had withheld assent on the PIGB following its passage by the National Assembly.
    The President had also communicated its decline of assent to the PIGB 2018, citing constitutional and legal reasons in the bill.
    The Senate president said that it was unfortunate that the bill had not been assented to, adding “we took it as a responsibility to drive that bill to a level it has never been in a decade’’.
    “That bill, a lot of people when we started said we cannot do it, but we demonstrated we have the political will and the commitment to do it.
    “We passed the governance bill and it went to the executive.
    “What I expected considering the kind of work that was done was for us both arms to seat down, because the issues that were raised are not issues that are not surmountable.
    “Unfortunately, after so many months, the bill has come back with query that can easily be trashed out in a day session.
    “Those in the petroleum sector will agree with me that they have never seen the engagement we saw in the governance bill.
    “Secondly, we had the fiscal bill and we have taken it to the point that has never been archived, but I believe a lot of the operators will want to ask what will happen to the fiscal bill if the governance bill was not assented to.
    “Our intension is to go back to the executive and seat down with them in the interest of Nigeria.
    “This is a very good bill as most operators and the technical people in the sector commended it.’’
    He said the observation made on the bill was not enough reasons to stop its assent because of the huge positive impact it would make in investments in the sector.
    “Because as you know, there is no serious investment going in the oil and gas sector because people are not sure of what to expect.’’
    On cost of governance, Saraki said it was huge but added that there were some wastages that could be reduced.
    The Senate president said the fight against corruption must be transparent, and credible, adding that effort should also be made to prevent it.
    “For example, the main area where we produce our major revenue is mainly in the oil and gas sector.
    “But when you look at corruption cases, I am not sure you will find many of the cases in that sector, the fight is so selective.
    “But if it is transparent, you should start from where you are producing your large source of revenue.
    “Because if you can tackle corruption in the sector, there will be less leakages down the line.
    “For example today, we are back to spending close to 3.6 billion dollars petroleum subsidy, so apart from the national assembly, which anti-corruption agency is looking at that?
    “The point I am making is that there should be a transparent process and approach in fighting corruption.
    “If we can make the petroleum sector most efficient which accounts for large revenue, government will be more efficient.
     

  • JUST IN: Buhari, Saraki condemn renewed crisis in Kaduna

    JUST IN: Buhari, Saraki condemn renewed crisis in Kaduna

    President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate President Bukola Saraki have both condemned the renewed crisis in Kaduna state.
    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports over 50 people have been killed since violent crisis erupted in Kaduna on October 18 crisis at Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state.
    This is similar to crisis also in Kasuwan Magani that happened in February, which left more than 10 people dead, while 65 suspects involved in the crisis were arraigned in court but the case still ongoing.
    Senator Saraki said recent “pictures and reports coming out of Kaduna State are quite troubling” with Buhari in a statement stressing “The violence in Kaduna, which has resulted in the deaths of 55 innocent people, is condemnable”.
    Buhari stated that “The Police have been authorized to do everything possible to restore calm,” why also revealing that “a Special Intervention Force has been deployed to the flash-points, and the IG will provide regular updates”.
    “The disregard for the sanctity of human life is unacceptable. Violence is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good. I appeal to community leaders and citizens to always choose dialogue, patience and tolerance, to prevent crises from escalating into violence.
    “Let me also commend the Kaduna State government for its rapid response to the crisis. The Federal Government and its law enforcement agencies will work with the State Government and community leaders to ensure the full restoration of peace and security,” the statement by Buhari read.
    Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Kaduna town and environs with immediate effect, with Saraki urging “all residents of the state to adhere to the curfew, remain calm and not contribute to the perpetration of violence”.
    “I call on our security forces to continue to work round the clock to restore order in Kaduna. They must also do everything within the law to apprehend all those that have contributed or promoted this recent cycle of bloodshed,” Saraki added.