TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lawan

  • Give Buhari till 2023 to complete his ‘good works’ – Senate Leader, Lawan tells Nigerians

    The Leader of the Senate, Sen. Ahmed Lawan has said President Muhammadu Buhari will complete the good works he started in 2015 at the end of his second tenure in 2023.

    The Senate Leader reiterated that President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians have a future beyond 2019.

    He expressed the hope that the President would be able to complete the programmes his administration had initiated by 2023 when he would have served two terms of four years each in office.

    Lawal said this in an interview with State House correspondents after joining members of the Buhari Support Group to meet with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said he and other members of the group across the country would continue to support the President and his administration.

    He said, ” We will continue to identify with and support all the programmes that this administration has set forward.

    ” l believe that we have every justification to be happy because, the President campaigned on three major pillars of anti-corruption, fighting the insecurity across the country and revitalising the economy of Nigeria.

    “It has been a very, very good journey so far and I also believe that Mr. President and Nigerians have a future beyond 2019.

    “What he has started, by the grace of God, he should be able to complete, up to 2023.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari resumed office on May 29, 2015 and his first tenure ends by May 29, 2019. If he seeks re-election in 2019 and wins, his second tenure will end by 2023.

  • Court adjourns Lawan, Otedola alleged bribery case till June 21

    Court adjourns Lawan, Otedola alleged bribery case till June 21

    An FCT High Court, Lugbe, on Wednesday adjourned until June 21 and June 22, an alleged bribery case involving Hon. Faroq Lawan and Femi Otedola.

    Justice Angela Otaluku of the FCT High Court granted the request of counsel to the defendant, Mr Mike Ozekhome in view of the application brought before it.

    “In view of this application, this case is further adjourned until June 21st and 22nd, 2017 for further hearing, ” she said.

    Ozekhome said the request for adjournment was to enable him prepared and drill the witness in the next appearance, adding that there was need to diligently cross examine the witness in view of the case.

    Meanwhile, Ozekhome had earlier made an application to recall Prosecuting Witness Two (PW2) on the basis of his non availability in the court the day he appeared in court because it was handled by a junior lawyer.

    “I was attending a case involving me and the EFCC, so I couldn’t make myself available.”

    However, the request was turned down because the witness could not be recalled to testify again.

    In a swift reaction, Ozekhome promised to take the case up to the Supreme Court to determine if a witness who had earlier testified in a case could be recalled.

    He said this was to strengthen the judicial system and allow justice to run its course.

    Mr Adegboyega Awomolo, the Prosecuting Counsel led Hon. Jagaban Jagaban, a member of the House of Representatives and a former Chairman, House Committee on Drug, Narcotics and Financial Crime in evidence against the defendant.

    He said that his relationship with Lawan was the same that exists among House of Representatives members, adding that he never had any other relationship with him.

    He said that his job as the committee Chairman on Drugs, Narcotic and Financial Crime was to supervise the activities of EFCC and NDLEA, adding that he also made budgets for them.

    “We are empowered by the constitution to investigate matters relating to our committee when reported and referred to the Federal Government for further investigation.

    He said that he did not collect any money from the defendant as claimed in his statement to the Police.

    Further cross examination in the case has been adjourned until June 21 and June 22.

  • Lawan, Otedola alleged bribery saga: DSS presents video evidence in court

    Lawan, Otedola alleged bribery saga: DSS presents video evidence in court

    The Department of State Security (DSS) on Tuesday presented a video evidence at the FCT High Court, Lugbe, where Mr Femi Otedola was seen giving out a parcel to Hon. Farouq Lawan.

    Justice Angela Otaruku granted the request of the prosecuting counsel, Mr Mr Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), to play the video as evidence of Lawan collecting the said bribe from Otedola.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the request was made with the Awomolo led the DSS Prosecutor, Mr David Ojataha, Principal Officer in-charge of Technical Operations, DSS in evidence.

    The video, revealing an exchange of parcel, lasted for almost three minutes.

    “The video I just played are those of Mr Femi Otedola and Hon. Farouq Lawan where there was an exchange of parcel at Otedola’s house in Aso drive, Abuja,” said Awomolo.

    The DSS prosecutor, however, told the court that he was saddled with the responsibility of recording the video by the DSS because of his background as an Electronic and Telecommunication Engineer.

    He told the court that he did his work diligently during the course of investigation as an expert.

    He said that though he did not participate in the arrest and detention of the defendant as that was not part of his duty, he only recorded the said video.

    Ojataha added that he did not also take any statement from the defendant during the course of investigation.

    He said that he was only instructed to cover the meeting between both parties based on complaints from Otedola.

    Mr Mike Ozekhome, the defendant’s counsel, while cross examining the DSS prosecutor, said that the device used in playing the CD had no imprint of time and event in the video.

    Ozekhome said that there was nothing to show that the defendant was there to receive bribe.

    He added that there was also nothing in the video to suggest that bribery was discussed because such words like “bribe” was not heard in the video.

    NAN reports that Lawan was the former Committee Chairman of Petroleum Matters in the House of Representatives at the 7th National Assembly.

    He chaired the committee investigating the subsidy fraud in 2012.

    The committee, however, found some oil companies culpable of defrauding the Federal Government via spurious subsidy claim and Zenon Petroleum and Gas Company, belonging to Otedola was found culpable.

    The trial judge, Otaruku, while discharging the DSS prosecutor from the witness box, ordered the prosecution counsel to bring his other witnesses to court on May 10, being the adjourned date of the trial.

  • Senate to pass 2017 budget next week, Lawan assures

    Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan on Thursday said the Senate would conclude legislative work on the 2017 appropriation bill next week and pass it to President Buhari for assent.

    Lawan said this at the end of a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. He noted that the National Assembly had intended to pass the bill in March but could not.

    “The good news is that we are doing everything possible to catch up the lost time and that by the grace of God I am thinking that by next week we should be able to finish our own work and pass the budget for Mr President to sign.’’

    The Senate Leader also confirmed that the Senate would screen the two ministerial nominees from Kogi and Adamawa as well as others who require confirmation by next week.

    On his visit to the President, he said that it was to get the right executive briefings as part of his responsibility to market all executive bills’ request.

    “I have come to meet Mr President as part of my continuous engagement with the executive to ensure that I get my briefings right so that I can always market Presidential and executive requests.

    “This is supposed to be a continuous process and that is essentially why I have come to see Mr President,’’ he added.

    He said such interaction should be maintained in the country in spite of the independence of the three arms of government.

    “I know clearly that there is independence of each arms and I also know equally well that there is so much interdependence between the two arms or even the three arms of government in Nigeria.

    “Therefore, we need to always close and narrow the gap,’’ the Senate leader said.

     

     

    NAN

  • 2017 Budget: Osinbajo meets Dogara, Lawan

     

    As a proactive measure of ensuring easy passage and implementation of the 2017 budget, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Monday met with the leadership of the National Assembly at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    Investigations by the TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Osinbajo met with the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan and also an APC governor behind close doors.

    Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Lawan disclosed that the 2017 Appropriation Bill was the major topic discussed.

    He also said he used the opportunity to assure Osinbajo that the APC Caucus in the Senate was now united.

    Lawan said: “I am here to meet the Acting President, to brief him on what the Senate is doing on the Appropriation Bill 2017. You know we have suspended plenary for three weeks.

    “The idea is to have ample time to focus on the Appropriation Bill. The committees will start to work from this week, meeting the MDAs on the budget defence that they need to do.

    “Secondly, you know that the Acting President is an APC Acting President. As a new Senate Leader, it is also important that I come here to this office to tell the Acting President and our administration that the APC caucus in the Senate is now a united caucus.

    “We are ready as a caucus to support our administration; we are also ready as a Senate, that is both the APC and the minority parties, to work for the betterment of Nigerians.

    “Our colleagues in the opposition have always been supportive for the Senate to function.”

  • Senate Leadership: I have rested grievances against Saraki, others – Lawan

    Senator Ahmed Lawan has said his installment on Tuesday as the Senate Leader of the 8th senate has made him rest grievances against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and senate in general.

    Citing Order 43 of Senate Rules on Thursday, Lawan noted that he had been on the opposition in the lower and upper Chambers in the last 16 years, stressing that he had suffered more than any of his colleagues.

    “I wish to use this opportunity to thank APC caucus for having me and I want to say that I am of the APC in the Senate, but the leader of all Senators,” he said.

    “I have Rested all grievances against this 8th Senate, particularly the Senate President so that together we can move this institution forward,” he added.

    He tasked Senators on quality bills that would sail smoothly on the floor of the Senate, adding that he will knock on offices and even going to residences of his colleagues to ensure they do the right things.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki urged the new Senate leader to be committed to his words, while commending the immediate past Leader for his contribution in the last one year.

    Recall that the Senate President on Tuesday announced the removal of Ali Ndume and replaced him with Ahmed Lawan.

  • Senate Leadership: Ndume kicks as APC reconciliatory moves throws him out, anoints Lawan

    The Senate at plenary today (Tuesday) removed its majority leader, Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) and replaced him immediately with the initial party candidate Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North)

    There are strong indications that the ousted Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ali Ndume was removed from office to settle the inner rancor in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    According to TheNewGuru’s findings Ndume’s removal which comes as senate is closing the plenary sitting for the day is said to be part of the on-going reconciliatory process in the APC.

    Remember, Ahmed Lawan from Yobe State was the nominee of the APC leadership but the party’s North East Caucus members in the Senate then insisted that they preferred Ndume. Now, like in the House of Reps, the party leadership choice is getting the slot.

    I am still Senate Majority Leader – Ndume

    Meanwhile, Ndume has maintained that he remains the Senate Leader.

    However, Ndume was quoted to have said that he remains the senate leader.

    “I still remain Senate Leader,” he said at a press briefing. He said he was unaware of his removal by the APC Senate Caucus.

    Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki read a letter from APC caucus on the change in the Senate leadership.

    Recall that Lawan was the choice of the Bola Tinubu group for the Senate presidency in 2015.

    But on the day the Senate convened for its first plenary, Saraki, with the support of the minority PDP caucus seized control and took over the leadership.

    Lawan was not even around to contest the seat, as he was held up at the International Conference Centre for a meeting, that never held, with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Saraki’s emergence created divisions in the APC. The crisis was accentuated when he refused to adopt Lawan and some other nominees of the party sent by the party leadership for various positions.