TheNewsGuru

Tag: NASS

  • NASS polls: Saraki finally concedes defeat, says ‘I wish those who emerged best of luck’

    …canvasses support for PDP governorship, house of assembly candidates

    Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has stated that in spite of the reported inadequacies that attended last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in Kwara State, he is wishing the candidates who emerged from the election the best of luck.

    Dr. Saraki in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, stated that while the election was generally peaceful, there were inadequacies like the card readers not used in over 70 percent of the polling units, while there were multiple voting, over-voting and other discrepancies that were reported by agents of the Peoples Democratic Party across the state.

    He added that the state chapter of his party will take a position on the right response to these inadequacies.

    The statement reads in part, “However, whatever the final outcome of the election, I wish the candidates that have emerged all the best in their attempts to serve our people.

    “It is my prayers that the good people of Kwara State will always have the best from any government, both at state and federal levels.

    “As a product of a family and a political structure that is, from its foundation, devoted to the service and development of our state and its people, it is my wish that our people will always have a good deal at all times.

    “The new development will even provide the people the opportunity to compare and contrast. After all, the people who have emerged from last Saturday’s election are not my enemies. They are fellow Kwarans.

    “As we prepare for the March 9, 2019 governorship and House of Assembly elections, let me reiterate my position that the candidates of the PDP in the election represent the best materials for our dear State, Kwara.

    “Therefore, I enjoin our people to come out en mass on election day and vote for them.

    “I am going to work with our party leaders to further sell the PDP candidates to the general public.

    “I thank all Nigerians for their goodwill and to enjoin all of us that as we patiently await the outcome of the presidential election, we pray for peace, unity and genuine development in our country.

    “It is also our prayers that at all times, the wish of the people will always prevail in the choice of the leadership and the electorate will always enjoy the benefit of good governance.”

     

  • #NigeriaDecides: Seven simple steps to vote in today’s presidential, NASS elections

    #NigeriaDecides: Seven simple steps to vote in today’s presidential, NASS elections

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently released the steps a voter would take to cast their vote on Election Day during the general elections, starting with the rescheduled presidential and National Assembly polls today, (Saturday) February 23, 2019.

    The electoral body enumerated seven steps, itemising them on its verified Twitter handle, @inecnigeria as follows:

    Step 1: Upon arrival at the polling unit, join the queue and present yourself to the INEC official (APO111) at the polling unit who will determine whether you are at the correct polling unit and check if the photograph on the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) matches your face. If satisfied, he/she will direct you to the next INEC official (APO1).

    Step 2: The official (APO1) will request for your PVC to confirm that your card is genuine and your details, using the smart card reader. He/she will ask you to place your finger on the card reader to confirm that the PVC belongs to you by ascertaining, the card reader will contain the name, photograph and finger prints of all those registered in their polling unit.

    Step 3: You will then meet the next official (APO11) who will request for your PVC to confirm that your name and details are in the voters register. Your name will be ticked and your PVC returned to you. He/ she will then apply indelible ink to the cuticle of your appropriate finger for that election to show you have been accredited to vote. (If your name is not found on the register, you will not be allowed to vote).

    Step 4: The presiding officer (PO) stamps, signs and endorses the date at the back of the Ballot Paper. The PO will roll the ballot paper inwardly with the printed side inwards and give to you. He /she will then direct you to the voting cubicle where you vote in secret.

    Step 5: You will stain your appropriate finger for the election with the ink provided then use your stained finger to mark the space or box provided on the ballot paper for your preferred candidate/party. Roll the marked ballot paper (in the manner the PO gave to you).

    Step 6: Then leave the voting cubicle and drop the ballot paper in the ballot box in full view of people at the polling unit.

    Step 7: You will then leave the polling unit or wait if you so choose in an orderly and peaceful manner to work the process up to declaration of result.
    It also noted that the result of each polling unit shall be pasted at the unit and for everyone to see.

     

  • Breaking: NASS postpones resumption

    Breaking: NASS postpones resumption

    The National Assembly has announced the postponement of its resumption scheduled for Tuesday Feb. 19 to Tuesday Feb. 26.

    The Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr Mohammed Sani-Omolori made this known in a statement on Sunday.

    He said the postponement became necessary following postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly election rescheduled for Saturday Feb. 23.

    “This is to inform all distinguished senators and honourable members that resumption of plenary session earlier scheduled for Tuesday Feb. 19 has been postpones to Tuesday, Feb. 26 due to the postponement of the national elections.

    “All distinguished senators and honourable members are expected to resume plenary session by 10 a.m. on Feb. 26 please,” he said.

    The Senate had on Jan. 24, adjourned plenary till Feb. 19, to enable preparations for the Feb. 16 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The Senate did not consider the 2019 Appropriation Bill before it proceeded on the break.

    It however passed the Minimum Wage Bill through first and second reading.

     

  • PDP led NASS leadership responsible for delay in consideration of 2019 budget – Ndume

    PDP led NASS leadership responsible for delay in consideration of 2019 budget – Ndume

    A senator, Ali Ndume (APC- Borno), has blamed the delay in consideration of the 2019 Budget of N8.83 trillion on the Senate leadership.

    Ndume told journalists in an interview on Wednesday that the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers were ready to commence work on the budget but the leadership was not willing.

    “Federal lawmakers on the platform of APC are more in number than their counterparts in PDP,” the former Senate Leader said.

    “However, since it is the PDP lawmakers that are controlling the leadership of both chambers, the speed with which any executive bill, particularly the 2019 Appropriation Bill, before us will be passed lies with them.

    “Those of us in the APC at both chambers have the passion and the will to effect expeditious consideration and passage of the 2019 budget proposals but the required speed for that lies with the leadership, topmost of whom are PDP members,” he said.

    Ndume, however, commended the House of Representatives for kick-starting debate on the general principles of the budget.

    He added that the required expeditious consideration that should be given the 2019 Appropriation bill, should be extended to the expected Minimum Wage Bill.

    He said Nigerian workers deserved a living wage and not just minimum wage.

    On popularity ratings between President Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ndume said Buhari would have 95 percent votes.

    “The difference is clear between the two of them as far as popularity and acceptability are concerned, going by crowds attending their rallies.

    “Buhari has already won the election going by the mammoth crowd being pulled by him even in the North-east.

    “Besides, to us in the North East, PDP is poisonous and it cannot be embraced in any way by the teeming populace,” he said.

  • No rift between Buhari and NASS – Dogara

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, says the National Assembly does not hate President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Dogara said this on Saturday at the kick-off of the Peoples Democratic Party campaign for the governorship and National Assembly candidates in Bununu, Bauchi State.

    “None of us hates President Buhari and we are not against him, but we are only exercising our independence as contained in the Constitution.

    “We are all looking at the plight of our people, especially insurgency, poverty and other vices that have continued to bedevil the masses.

    “You can see what is happening between the American president and the legislature which is normal,” he said.

    Dogara recalled that NASS had, sometime last year, initiated a bill for the autonomy of Local Government Areas but regretted that it was aborted by State Assemblies.

    He emphasised that the autonomy would have brought development to rural areas where the majority of the people lived.

    Dogara stated that Alhaji Abdulkadir Muhammed, the Bauchi State governorship candidate of the PDP would decentralise the local government system in the state, even without the approval of the Federal Government.

    The Speaker said that personal efforts made by him to reconstruct mosques and schools in his counstituency were scuttled by some individuals.

    He warned the people against trying to instigate trouble in the areas, saying that “it is always retrogressive.”

    The governorship candidate, Mohammed while addressing the gathering, called on the people of the area to resist the proposal by Independent National Electoral Commission to relocate collation centre from Zwall to Dass.

    Mohammed, who stressed the need for people to change the present administration in the state, assured them that PDP would take over the state in the 2019 general elections.

    He pledged to provide functional education, infrastructure and agriculture, if elected into office.

  • Protests: Finally, FG agrees to send minimum wage bill to NASS Jan 23

    Protests: Finally, FG agrees to send minimum wage bill to NASS Jan 23

    The Federal Government and organised labour in the country on Tuesday finally reached an agreement that the Presidency would send the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Bill to the National Assembly after three days of meetings.

    The agreement came on a day that labour unions staged a nationwide protest over the non-transmission of the bill to the National Assembly by the Federal Government.

    Unlike other meetings, the Tuesday meeting lasted for fewer hours.

    However, President of Trade Union Congress, Kaigama Bobboi, warned that if the Federal Government reneged on the date it promised to transmit the bill to the National Assembly, labour would take action without any warning.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Nigige, who presided over the meeting, assured the labour leaders that the Federal Government would send the bill to the National Assembly on January 23, 2019 after members of the National Assembly must have resumed from their Yuletide recess.

    He added that necessary meetings on the part of the Federal Government would be held next week to ensure the timeline was met.

    The minister said, “As for the transmission of the executive bill to the National Assembly, the government will religiously implement all the processes that will enable us to transmit this bill within the stipulated time.

    “We have a target time of January 23, 2019 and we hope that all things being equal, government will be able to do so. We will take all statutory meetings of the Federal Executive Council, National Economic Council and the National Council of State meetings to enable us to transmit the bill on the new national minimum wage. I thank the labour unions for their understanding and appeal to them that the threats should come down. Protests are no longer necessary.”

    While thanking Ngige for his role on the issue, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, said workers had been patient with government for more than two years.

    He added that after the submission of the report by the tripartite committee that deliberated on the minimum wage more that two months ago, it was expected that the Federal Government would have gone beyond the present stage of making effort to transmit a bill to the National Assembly.

    He said, “We have finally been able to reach a clear understanding on the processes and timeline for this bill to be transmitted. We are committed to the process and hope that the timeline will be respected. We will put this across to our organs and give them all the details contained in the Memorandum of Understanding.

    “You will recall that our demand is for the bill to be transmitted to the National Assembly. We want a firm commitment so that we don’t come round a cycle. We want the agreement to be documented and signed by government’s representatives. With that, we can follow up on the process.

    “This thing has been on the table for more than two years and having submitted the report, we expect that the bill should have been submitted. The National Assembly will be back on January 16 from their recess so on or before January 23, the bill must have been transmitted.

    “We know that the National Assembly members are desirous of making sure that Nigerian workers have decent wage, they will also be able to do the needful. We will shift our lobby to the National Assembly because once the bill is enacted; the money will be in the pocket of workers.

    “Issues of industrial relations are always addressed at the negotiation table. We have been diligent in the whole process and workers have been patient, clearly we have carried them along, that is why whenever we want them to be around, they are always around. We are tired of stories and that is why we insisted on a timeline.”

    Wabba, however, downplayed the agreement, saying that it was only one step taken out of many in making sure that a new minimum wage was paid.

    “For us, it is a win-win situation but until the money is in our pocket, that is when we can talk of success. It is still work in progress and there are many more battles to fight. But once it is at the National Assembly, the half of the work is done. The next level is the implementation in the public and private sectors. But we are optimistic with the success of the bill at the National Assembly,” he said.

     

  • Minimum Wage: Labour issues Dec 31 deadline to submit committee report to NASS

    …kicks against Buhari’s fresh review

    Labour on Thursday said the federal government has before or on December 31 to send the tripartite committee report on N30,000 minimum wage to the National Assembly.

    The three labour centres, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the United Labour Congress (ULC) took the decision after a joint meeting in Lagos.

    They gave the ultimatum following President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that a “high powered technical committee” would be set up to device ways to ensure that its implementation did not lead to an increase in the level of borrowing.

    Mr Buhari spoke at the presentation of 2019 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who address journalists after the meeting, said setting up a technical committee could not be a condition for passing the minimum wage report to the National Assembly.

    According to Mr Wabba, the organised labour cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the country if the wage report was not passed for implementation on or before December 31.

    “We reject in its entirety the plan to set up another `high powered technical committee’ on the minimum wage. It is diversionary and a delay tactics.

    “The national minimum wage committee was both technical and all-encompassing in its compositions and plan to set up a technical committee is alien to the tripartite process.

    “It is also alien to the International Labour Organisations’ conventions on national minimum wage setting mechanism,’’ he said.

    The labour leader said issues on payment of minimum wage was a law that was universal, citing that other African countries like, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa had increased their minimum wage this year.

    “If you increase minimum wage, you are increasing the purchasing power of the economy which will help to reduce inflation rather than increase it,’’ Mr Wabba said.

    He urged workers to be vigilant and prepare to campaign and vote against candidates and politicians who are not willing to implement the new minimum wage.

    Joe Ajaero, President of ULC, also called on the government to send the report to lawmakers so that the implementation of the new minimum wage report would begin without delay.

    Mr Ajaero said all affiliate members of the organised labour had been informed to be alert ahead of the December 31 notice if the government failed to submit the report.

    The labour unions had planned to go on a nationwide strike on November 6, following the federal government’s delay to accept the N30,000 minimum wage agreement.

     

  • Presidency set to present minimum wage bill to NASS, says Buhari

    Presidency set to present minimum wage bill to NASS, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari says a bill on implementation of the New Minimum Wage would soon be sent to the National Assembly for passage.

    Buhari made this known while presenting the 2019 Budget before the joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

    He assured that he was committed to addressing the minimum wage issue, saying he had directed the setting up of a technical committee to look at mode of implementation.

    “To avoid a system crisis on the Federal Government and states, it is important to device ways to ensure that its implementation does not lead to an increase in the level of borrowing.

    “I am accordingly setting up a high powered technical committee to advise on ways of funding an increase in the minimum wage and attendant wage adjustments without having to resort to additional borrowing.

    “The work of the committee will be the basis of finance bill which will be submitted to the national assembly alongside the minimum wage bill.

    Buhari, said the committee would recommend modalities for the implementation of the new minimum wage.

    According to him, the move is to minimise inflationary impact as well as ensure that its introduction does not lead to job losses.

    he News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Amal Pepple Tripartite Committee on the Review of National Minimum Wage, had on Nov. 6, submitted its report to Buhari.

    The committee recommended N30, 000 as the new national minimum wage.(NAN)

  • Strike: NASS workers speak on Buhari’s budget presentation tomorrow

    Strike: NASS workers speak on Buhari’s budget presentation tomorrow

    Staff of the National Assembly will not stop the president, Muhammadu Buhari, from presenting the 2019 budget to federal lawmakers, the chairman of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Bature Mohammed, has said.

    Speaking as the police barricaded the National Assembly Tuesday morning, Mr Mohammed said the president is free to present the budget anytime.

    Buhari is billed to present the 2019 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday. The presentation could, however, be hampered by a four-day warning strike, which parliamentary staff began on Monday.

    Recall that the staff, on Monday, blocked the main entrance into the assembly complex preventing usual movement of people and vehicles.

    In reaction to this, the leadership of the National Assembly asked the police and the Department of Security Service (DSS) to secure the assembly for Tuesday’s plenary.

    The lawmakers hold plenaries on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays of the week.

    In carrying out this order, uniformed police officials, on Tuesday, blocked the entrance into the National Assembly, preventing workers, journalists and others from entering.

    Some journalists were later allowed to enter.

    Speaking on the development, Mohammed said the assembly’s leadership has worsened the situation by its latest move.

    “The leadership of the National Assembly are making all issues worse by asking for security to secure the National Assembly against its staff.

    “Just some hours ago, they selected some of our staff against their wish, threatening them to go and work for them. Some of our chamber attendants are there now, working for them against their wish.”

    Despite this, however, the staff will allow Buhari to present the budget anytime he so wishes, Mohammed noted.

    He denied reports that some of the staff cut off power and water supply on Monday, saying they are law abiding in their protest.

    “As far as we are concerned, we do not intend, by any means, to stop the president from presenting his budget. If we can allow cleaners and bankers to go in and discharge their duties, how can we stop Mr President from presenting his budget? But you can see that the action of the presiding officers is sending wrong signals by (locking) the gate. We are not the ones that locked this gate. It’s a very wrong signal and we condemn it in totality.

    “We are law abiding citizens. We’ve been following all rules guided by due process.

    “So, Mr President is free. If he can even come now we’ll guide him to make sure that he presents the budget and comes out freely.”

    He said the association will regroup after the warning strike to decide the next line of actions.

    After the warning strike, we’ll get back to “our people and consult about the next line of action. But I want to assure you that we will not back down until our demands are met,” he said.

     

  • Executed Projects: Buhari rejects NASS’ approval for refund of N488.7b to states

    President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected the National Assembly’s approval for refund of N488.7 billion to State Governments for projects they executed on behalf of the Federal Government.

    Buhari communicated the decision through a letter read by the President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, at plenary on Tuesday.

    The president said he rejected the National Assembly’s approval because it violated the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

    He noted that whereas the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a total of N487.8 billion for the purpose, the National Assembly jerked up the figure to N488.7 billion.

    He said the amount approved by the lawmakers was N890 million higher than that approved by FEC.

    Buhari said a review of the NASS’ approval, communicated through a July 27, 2018 letter, also revealed discrepancies in the number of states submitted by FEC and those approved by the lawmakers.

    He said, “While FEC approved reimbursement to 25 states, the National Assembly approved reimbursement to 21 states.

    “The National Assembly did not approve any reimbursement to four states, that is, Bauchi, Delta, Kogi and Taraba, whereas FEC approved reimbursement for them.

    “Note that the amount approved by the National Assembly for reimbursement to 21 states is higher than the amount approved by FEC for reimbursement to 25 states.”

    The president added that the amount approved by the lawmakers for each of the 21 states was higher than that approved by FEC for each of them, except for Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano and Niger.

    He urged the Senate to note that the Public Procurement Act 2007 empowers the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to approve vendors for contract sums.

    According to him, the amounts presented to the national assembly for approval were duly certified for reimbursement by the BPP before they were approved by FEC.

    Buhari said this was after the projects had been inspected through a programme under the chairmanship of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing.

    The president noted that there was need for compliance with the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

    “I wish to request that you forward to us details relating to the amounts approved by the National Assembly for the 17 states in excess of what was certified by BPP, for necessary verification and approval.

    “Furthermore, I wish to request for a review of the reimbursement earlier submitted in favour of Bauchi, Delta, Kogi and Taraba states,” the president said.

    In the meantime, Buhari has told the lawmakers that the federal government will proceed with the implementation of the reimbursement on certain grounds.

    First, he said where the amount approved by the national assembly is the same as the amount approved by FEC the jointly approved amounts would be refunded.

    He identified the states in this category as Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano and Niger.

    Second, the president said where the amount approved by the National Assembly was higher than the amount approved by FEC, the amount approved by FEC would be paid.

    The benefiting states on this are Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Ebonyi, Benue, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kwara, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau and Zamfara.

    He said the four states (Bauchi, Delta, Kogi and Taraba) excluded in the NASS approval would not be refunded until their consideration by the lawmakers.