The leadership of the National Assembly (NASS) is expected to meet on Tuesday 7 August.
TheNewsGuru reports the NASS leadership meeting will have in attendance the Senate and House of Reps leaders.
The Senate two weeks ago hurriedly adjourned plenary until September 25 given the current uncertainty in the nation’s political environment.
The NASS leaders are also to meet with INEC leadership after their consultations.
The Presidency on Sunday appealed to the National Assembly (NASS) to reconvene as urgent matters pending before it may affect the running of Nigeria and matters affecting Nigerians.
The appeal was made by the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang at a news conference in Lagos.
Recall that the Nigerian Senate, on July 24 adjourned sittings for the next two months.
President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki announced the adjournment at plenary following a motion on the siege on Saraki and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, by security operatives.
The Senate is expected to reconvene on September 25th.
However some of the pending urgent issues before the adjournment included the approval of a supplementary budget to fund the 2018 budget and the 2019 general Elections.
The supplementary funds would enable the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commence preparation for the 2019 polls.
Also pending are several key appointments for the EFCC, ICPC, Deputy CBN Governor and AMCON among others.
Enang said that although the Senate had lined up those matters before the adjournment, there was need for them to resume because of the urgency required for the approval.
“We are appealing to Senate leadership and all caucuses of the National Assembly to see this as a clarion call for the good of the nation.
“As the Liason Officer between NASS and the federal government, I know it is not the intention of the Lawmakers to make Nigerians suffer.
“The NASS vacation is usually planned to coincide with school vacations so that members can spend time with their children. However this is an election year and the budget has just been appended to hence the urgent need to give approval for Supplementary funds for it.
“We are not compelling them, we are appealing to them. As a liason officer between the Presidency and the NASS, my duty is to make sure that both arms stay together and work in harmony” he said.
On the defections in the house, Enang explained that it had nothing to do with the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari and that the issues for defection were personal and domestic to the political actors.
According to him, the defections are perennial and usually happens in election years where politicians look for platforms to achieve their aspirations.
“In all the defections, they have maintained that they do not have problems with the federal government.
‘There is too much competition within the major political parties. Politicians study the platforms and would not want to be where they may not get the tickets especially for those seeking re-election. Some need automatic tickets but their party may say no.
“Defections are not a sign of anything to worry about in a political party. None of the defectors is complaining about executive treatment of their people but about winning nominations for tickets outside,” he added.
The Peoples Democratic Party has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari’s scheduled 10-day vacation in London was an alibi to exonerate him from alleged “planned political illegalities,” “forceful invasion” and “mayhem” which it said were about to be visited on the National Assembly.
The party said it was aware of plots which it alleged had been perfected in a meeting, on Wednesday night, between the Presidency and some All Progressives Congress senators, to forcefully reconvene the Senate, with protection from security agencies, with a view to impeach Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, also alleged that the PDP was aware of the desperation to illegally take control of the National Assembly.
He said this was part of the design to undermine the nation’s democratic institutions and completely foist a dictatorial regime on the nation.
He said, “The planned invasion is also a bid to cover the atrocious and humongous corruption of the Buhari administration, which the National Assembly is set to expose.
“The PDP has been reliably informed about how these APC senators, especially members of the Buhari Parliamentary Support Group, have been provided with huge sums of money, illegally lifted from repatriated funds, to carry out this nefarious act under the guise of urgent need to approve funds for the 2019 general elections.
“Having been demeaned by the widespread condemnation of the recent siege on the residences of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, in addition to the invasion of the Benue State House of Assembly in a failed attempt to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom and forcefully take over the state, President Buhari is now jetting out of the country so as to appear innocent and oblivious of the political terrors about to be unleashed on the National Assembly.”
He reminded President Buhari and the APC that the PDP has taken over the Senate and that the party “is ready and able to protect our democracy with all instruments available in the constitution and parliamentary rule books.”
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, has cautioned against any attempt to subvert democratic governance in Nigeria.
The IYC called on the political leadership and other key players in the nation’s political space to give the requisite attention to the sustenance of democracy and avoid acts that could truncate it in the country.
The IYC believes that democracy under President Buhari is nose-diving and the nation’s number one man seems not to care. In a statement on Tuesday signed by the President Barr Peretubo Oweilami and Secretary-General Mr. Alfred Kemepado, it said the siege on the Abuja homes of the leadership of the Senate has further confirmed that the nation’s democracy is truly under threat.
“The exploitation of state security apparatus to harass and intimidate perceived political opponents is not a healthy development. It is a display of political desperation which should not have a place in our democracy.
The recent developments at the National Assembly and the harassment of perceived political opponents are without doubt threats to democratic governance in the country.
The National Assembly is an autonomous organ and shouldn’t be subjected to such a degrading harassment.
“The blockade of the convoy of the Senate President and the failed attempt to arrest him with a view to prevent the Senate from sitting is unhealthy.
The group added further that for democracy to thrive, the principle of separation of powers enshrined in the constitution must not be subjected to violation. The youth leaders insisted that there must be strict adherence to democratic ethos and values which should not be desecrated.
The IYC leaders argued that the emerging political situation in the country was a further justification of the growing call for the restructuring of the country.
According to them, the brazen violation of court orders which have become rampant in the current administration, the lingering security issues, among others would be effectively addressed in a restructured Nigeria.
The IYC stressed that it was important for politicians to play by the rule and place the interest of the Nation and its stability above individual and selfish political interest.
The IYC further urged Nigerians to stand by democracy and resist any attempt by any group of persons or political interest to endanger the ideals of democracy in the country.
The IYC also commented on the disturbing state of insecurity occasioned by the herders/farmers killings across the states, called on the political leadership and security agencies to halt the killings. The Council added that Nigerians of good conscience would be disturbed by the reprehensible slaughter of innocent people across the country.
The Council insisted that Nigeria should not be reduced to a killing field.
It has been brought to my notice that on Tuesday 10th July, 2018, the House of Representative purportedly resolved to suspend me, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, APC, from the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for 180 legislative days. The said resolution was made pursuant to a certain Ad-hoc Committee investigative report presented by Hon. Betty Apiafa (PDP or CUPP) on my alleged involvement in an incident that occurred in the Senate Chamber which led to the removal of the Senate’s mace by some persons on April 18, 2018.
Without much ado, I state without equivocation whatsoever that the purported House resolution is just an act of utter lawlessness by one ordinary first among equals in the Senate who prides himself as a most intolerant dictator. The Urhobo people that I represent with honour in the Senate do not respect oppressors or dictators. To this extent, I will never ever bow down to a lawless emperor. Instead, I visit all the contempt, scorn, and disdain in this world upon the supposed resolution, especially its originator, knowing that the very good men and women of that most Honourable House did not willfully make such a manifestly inoperable and laughable resolution. Very soon, one would soon receive similar disrespectful resolutions from the Kwara State House of Assembly or Local Government Legislative Houses in Kwara State where he prides himself without justification as a demi-god and now seeks to do so on the national stage. Before then, I must ask those who were deceived to make this so-called resolution and the emperor in the Senate who lacks the civilized mind, wisdom and capacity to manage ordinary democratic dissent to eat the worthless resolution or better still, shove it.
With humility, I am a good student of constitutional law unlike the one who knows nothing about the law yet misuses our legislative processes and instruments to violently violate my rights as a Senator of the Federal Republic duly elected by my people to represent them in the Red Chamber just like him. Not being a member of the House of Representatives, I cannot be subjected to any form of investigation or disciplinary action by the House. Very importantly, by the clear letters and living spirit of Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the National Assembly has no power whatsoever to investigate any alleged crime. The removal of the Senate’s mace was described in the Senate as a “heinous crime”. For this reason and much more, it is a matter now under an active criminal investigation by the police. Usurping the constitutional functions of the police, Hon. Betty Apafia ignored this fact and elected to submit a so-called report on this incident and inflicted incalculable harm on my person thereby. There must be consequences for this.
Furthermore, it has been decided in a plethora of judicial decisions that legislative houses cannot suspend their members. Some of these cases are: Hon. Danna v. Bauchi House of Assembly, Dinno Melaye & Ors v. Speaker House of Representatives, Sen. Ali Ndume v. Senate President, Hon. Abdulmumin Jubril v. Speaker, House of Representative and, of course my recent case, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege vs The Senate President. And in this instance, the matters are already before a court of competent jurisdiction and therefore subjudice. It is elementary that parties are not supposed to take steps to force fait accompli on a court that is already seised of issues between such parties.
But some would rather turn the Senate to a Banana Republic by arrogating to themselves powers they do not have and acting with disgusting lawlessness and brazenness. The irony is that some of these same people were allowed to enjoy the full benevolence that our legal system provides by remaining ‘unsuspended’ or ‘unremoved’ from their legislative positions when they had challenges with the law. Even much more ironical is that these same intolerant dictators often dare to unjustly accuse our dear President Muhammadu Buhari of some fairy dictatorship!
In all, let me say that if they ever assumed that I will be a victim of the travesty of justice, violation of our constitution, and untrammeled impunity being piped from the Senate by a dictator, they are dead wrong. My people and I will lose nothing as a result of this sickening dictatorship in the senate. This is a fight the Senate dictator and drummer must lose. He has bitten more than he can chew. Our Constitution and constitutionality will surely prevail in this.
Speaker Yakubu Dogara has, again, called on the executive to give priority to steel development in Nigeria, saying it is the bedrock of the development of the country.
He argued that the country keeps losing revenue through importation of steel, even more that the government is focused on implementing projects that are dependent on steel such as the Mambilla power project and the Second Niger bridge among others.
Hon Dogara, who was speaking at the Open NASS event ongoing in the National Assembly, also harped on the need for provision of mechanised tools and subsidies to farmers for agricultural revolution to work.
“Point to any nation out there that is industrialised that doesn’t have a robust steel and aluminum sector,” he stated, while adding, “As we edge towards the Mambilla Power Projects, we are utilising millions in tonnes of steel, and if we don’t have a robust steel sector, all the money would go to China for instance where we will be importing this steel from.
“The second Niger bridge is there, it’s going to also consume millions of tonnes in steel. If care is not taken, China will also earn all the money. So what are we doing as a government to ensure this doesn’t happen?
“Without the aluminum and steel sector, there cannot be industrialisation in Nigeria. The President of Ghana was speaking recently before an enlightened audience and he spoke of the need for Ghana to have a steel plant and they are starting soon. So if care is not taken, Nigeria, the giant of Africa will be importing steel from Ghana.”
Speaking on how to revolutionalise the agricultural sector for the benefit of both the farmers and the country, the Speaker said, “To be very frank, if we don’t talk of mechanisation and subsidies for farmers, any talk about revolution in agriculture without mechanisation and subsidy is just rendering cheap talk. It will not be competitive and it will not work. I’m yet to see any developed country be it in America or Europe that doesn’t subsidise farming, and I’m yet to see any country that has completely mechanised its agriculture that doesn’t have a competitive edge against other nations.
“What are we doing in terms of mechanisation of agriculture in Nigeria and giving subsidy to farmers? Because virtually every practice that was there before is till there, you are a farmer and you are looking for loan, forget about anchor borrowers, you might not get the loan. And when you raise your produce, for instance I have an orchard which was done about fifteen years ago, they come to your farm and they want to buy your mango for thirty or fifty Naira, yet they turn around and sell the same mango for a hundred and fifty Naira. So the problem has always been these middlemen, and it is more profitable in the agricultural value chain to be a middle man, than to be a farmer. So how do we encourage the farmers? So that we grow what we eat, and we eat what we grow?”
He also identified high interest rates on loans from Commercial Banks at the current high interest rate as a poverty trap that discourage entrepreneurship and encourage the movement of wealth from the citizens to the corporations, noting that this does not propel growth of the economy as it’s actually those who employ between ten to thirty people that are really the engine growth in any nation.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday communicated his decision to withhold assent to four bills to the National Assembly.
At the House of Representatives, the presidential decision was contained in a letter read to members by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, at the start of the day’s proceedings.
The bills are the “Corporate Manslaughter Bill, 2018”; “Agricultural Credit Scheme Bill, 2018”; “National Child Protection Bill, 2018”; and “Court and Tribunal Standard Scale Fines Bill, 2018.”
Buhari gave reasons for rejecting the bills.
For instance, on the corporate manslaughter bill, Buhari said several of its provisions were inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.
He also rejected the agricultural credit scheme bill on the grounds that the National Assembly jacked up the fund created in the scheme to N50bn.
The President explained that he was more convenient with the extant provision of N100m.
On the child protection bill, Buhari noted that the proposed agency would merely duplicate the functions of already established agencies and the Ministry of Women Affairs.
He turned back the court and tribunal bill for being “ambiguous” and conflicting with extant laws.
![PDP stage protest to NASS over alleged police attack on Fayose [Photos]](https://thenewsguru.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/nass-1-1.jpg)
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Thursday staged a protest to the National Assembly, led by Uche Secondus, the party chairman.
The protest was against the alleged attack on the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, yesterday at Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Recall that security operatives had on Wednesday blocked the entrance to the State’s Government House in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
The operatives had allegedly shot teargas canisters which affected Fayose.
Commenting on the attack, Fayose had claimed that he was slapped by police officers.
But, speaking during the protest, the PDP Chairman said he led the delegation to submit a petition to the lawmakers on the alleged action of the police.
Secondus was accompanied by members and leaders of the PDP.
…says party now in the majority at NASS
…as members meets today, decides next moves
Members of the recently formed Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) will hold a crucial meeting in Abuja on Monday (today).
A reliable source in the R-APC faction of the All Progressives Congress on Sunday in Abuja saud that party leaders “are set to meet tomorrow (Monday) to take stock of the struggle” and forge a way forward.
Asked if the recent Supreme Court decision which exonerated the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki of corruption charges and the recent peace moves by the Adams Oshiomhole-led APC would help mend fences, the source said “No.”
He said, “The recent court victory has more than anything else, served as a morale booster for us. It was not only a victory for Bukola Saraki; it was a victory for the rule of law and a vindication of our earlier position that he was being persecuted because the charges against him were politically motivated.”
The source further said, “The court decision has strengthened our resolve to forge ahead.”
He was non-committal when asked for specifics on issues to be discussed.
He said, “For strategic reasons, we set the agenda for such meetings on the go, leaders table issues, we put them on a scale of importance and discuss.
“You, however, can’t rule out discussions on our next step as a result of the Supreme Court judgment and peace moves by the other side.”
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the R-APC, Buba Galadima, during an interview on Kakaaki, a programme on Africa Independent Television, said the R-APC now had enough lawmakers in the National Assembly to impeach anybody.
He, therefore, dismissed claims by the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, that the party would not lose sleep over the rebel faction.
The R-APC Chairman said, “Those who say they would not lose sleep, why have they gone cap in hand, kneeling down before members of the National Assembly? I want to say that today, as I sit here if I give directives to the National Assembly to impeach anybody for a constitutional infraction, it would be done because I have the majority in the National Assembly.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the constitutional amendment Bill which provides for early submission of budget proposals to the National Assembly by the President.
Delivering a remark at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday, the Speaker said so long as the Bill is not signed into law, any talk of an orderly appropriations process would be mere cheap talk.
The Bill stipulates that the President shall prepare and lay before each House of the National Assembly estimates of revenue and expenditure 90 days before the end of the fiscal year, and was transmitted to the President along with other constitutional amendment Bills some of which have been assented to by the President.
“It is as a result of this that the National Assembly proposed an amendment to the section to require the President to submit the Appropriation Bill not later than 90 days to the end of the financial year. The President has not yet signed this Bill which is so critical to an orderly Appropriations process. Let me use this opportunity to remind Mr President of the fact that if this Bill does not become law, any talk of an orderly appropriations process would be mere cheap talk.
According to the Speaker, “It is important to reiterate once again, that the National Assembly has the Constitutional powers, duty and responsibility to intervene in the budgeting process to ensure equity, federal character and even distribution of projects and amenities to all nooks and crannies of this great country as direct Representatives of the people.
“It is also important to emphasise that the 2018 budget benefitted from active cooperation and consultation between the Executive and Legislature during the Appropriation process. No doubt, Nigeria’s budgeting processes is in need of further reforms and that is why the National Assembly took the bold initiative to introduce the Budget Process Bill that is expected to lay out, timelines that will guide the appropriations process from conception to passage.
“But for this Bill to be passed, section (81) subsection (1) which gives the President power to prepare and lay before each House of the National Assembly AT ANY TIME estimates of revenue and expenditure in the financial year must be amended.”
He also charged House Committees to process all pending legislative measures before them and ensure expeditious consideration as they enter the twilight of their legislative mandate and said “we already have a record number of Bills, Resolutions and Public Petitions passed more than any other Assembly before us and we can do even more in the remaining period of our tenure.”