By Jonas Ezieke, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to Investigate the incessant and unwarranted killings ongoing in Plateau State particularly communities in Jo’s North, South, Riyom Barkin Ladi and Berom communities of the state.
The House equally asked the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to unmask those behind the killings and also ensure the release of those who were arrested by the Army in the ongoing military operation in those communities.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Hon. Edward Pwajok (Plateau,APC) on the matter on the floor of the House.
Pwajok while debating the motion noted the urgent need to Investigate the ongoing wanton killings in Plateau communities particularly in Jos North, South, Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Berom and other communities in Plateau State.
He further noted that the crisis in the state had assumed a very dangerous dimension leading to incessant killings and wanton destruction of properties of citizens of the state.
He express worries on the reported killing of a retired Army Chief of Administration Major-Gen Alkali and the resort by the Army authorities to invasion and ransacking of these communities in search of the missing retiree.
He further expressed worries that over 700,000 Nigerians were reported missing due to the crisis in the state and the ongoing military operation.
However Hon Ali Madaki, (Kano, PDP) spoke against the motion noting that every government has a responsibility to protect its citizens irrespective of their origin, occupation, tribe or religion.
But the Speaker Hon.Yakubu Dogara overuled the lawmaker noting that the investigation is nothing but to unravel the propriety or otherwise of the military action in accordance with relevant laws.
He subsequently put the motion to a voice vote and it was overwhelmingly voted for by the lawmakers.
Tag: Reps
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Reps to Investigate Plateau Killings
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APC Primaries: Reps issue 12 hour ultimatum to IGP to release detained member
…May summon IGP if detainment persists
The House of Representatives on Wednesday issued the Inspector-General of Police IGP Ibrahim Idris a 12 hours ultimatum to release a detained member of the House Hon. Abubakar Lado who was detained by the Police for alleged vandalism of properties of his political opponent during the just concluded primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Lado who represents Gurara/Suleja/Tafa Federal Constituency of Niger State was alleged to have vandalized and destroyed cars and and belongings of his political opponent during the just concluded APC primaries of the ruling party in his home state and was arrested and detained by the Special Anti Robbery Squad SARS of the Nigeria Police in Abuja
But the lawmakers in a motion raised by Hon. Toby Okechukwu (Enugu, PDP) decried the detention of the lawmaker on the order of the Governor of Niger State Abubakar Sani Bello saying that the IGP should release him in less than 12 hours as his detention is unlawful.
Okechukwu while debating the motion noted that the lawmaker participated in the party primary of the APC in his federal constituency and was later arrested and detained on the order of the Niger State Governor for alleged vandalism and other charges
He informed the House that the lawmaker adequately communicated the Police and other security agents in the state of his intention to participate in the party primary adding that he was detained on the orders of the state governor
According to him, if the people of Niger State and his constituency cannot give the lawmaker a second term ticket, they should not detain him unlawfully.
Speaking in support, Hon. Nnenna Ukeje (Abia, PDP) said that she listened with rapt attention as the matter was being raised. She added that the Nigeria Police is an institution that was created by law and regretted that they flout the law with impunity.
She added that if an honourable member of a legislative institution can be treated the way she was treated during the party primaries by the Police, then the question arises whether we ‘ve a republic.
Also in their contributions, Hon Osai N. Osai (Delta, PDP) and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila the House Leader said that the lawmaker’s detention by members of the SARS an outfit of the Nigeria Police in charge of robbery and kidnapping is unlawful.
The duo informed that the House that the APC lawmaker’s fundamental rights are being infringed upon by the Police and added that if steps are not taken, the lawmaker would be in detention up to next week.
Moreover, the Deputy Speaker of the House Hon Suleiman Lasun said that a sitting member of the House cannot be arrested unlawfully by the Police.
Lasun said that legislators are the most endangered species and regretted that the way the lawmaker was arrested was the reason why the nation is not developed.
Consequently, the House presided by the Speaker Hon.Yakubu Dogara unanimously adopted the motion with a voice vote urging the IGP to release the lawmaker within 12 hours
The House also asked its Ethics and Privileges Committee to investigate the matter and determine if the lawmaker by his conducts during the party primaries had brought the House to disrepute.
It equally resolved to file a suit against the IGP and the Police outfit should they fails to abide by the House resolution on the matter. -
2019: R-APC Reps postpones mass defection moves
Indications emerged on Friday that ,embers of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) in the House of Representatives have postponed their proposed mass defection earlier scheduled for Thursday (yesterday) to next week.
This came as the All Progressives Congress caucus convened an emergency meeting on Thursday, reportedly to drum support for President Muhammadu Buhari and seek ways to convince the R-APC faction to stick with the caucus.
Findings indicated that Thursday’s meeting, which was convened by the House Majority Leader, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, lasted from 3.30pm to about 5.28pm.
One R-APC source said, “Discussions are ongoing and members want to concretise on strategies before the mass defection will take place.
“What is known is that the APC has given us signals that there is no accommodation for us in the party.
“We are looking forward to any time before July 26, which is Thursday, next week, to move.”
Lawmakers, noticeably from Oyo, Benue and Kwara states did not show up at the caucus meeting.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Yakubu Dogara, also stayed away from the meeting, though he presided over the plenary of the House on Thursday.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Yussuff Lasun, too was absent, but his case was attributed to today’s primary of the APC for the Osun State governorship poll.
When Gbajabiamila hurried out of the venue of the meeting as it ended, he declined to make any categorical statement on the deliberations that took place indoors.
“I don’t dwell on rumours, I dwell on reality. Let that reality come first.
“There is no fire on the mountain, not at all”, he responded to a reporter’s question.
Gbajabiamila made efforts not to be drawn into speaking on the defection plot.
“Where did you find that out from? Let them (R-APC) go first. Talk is cheap,” he snapped.
Feeling confident, the Lagos lawyer added, “I am not scared at all.”
He would also not speak on speculation that Buhari was on the agenda of discussion as he continued to walk briskly away from the venue.
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Senate invasion: Omo-Agege berates Saraki, Reps over fresh suspension moves
The lawmaker representing the Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has carpeted the House of Representatives for approving his suspension over alleged involvement in the invasion of the Senate chamber and mace snatching.
Omo-Agege described the resolution for his suspension by the House as an act of lawlessness.
The senator stated this in a statement he personally signed entitled, ‘My Advice to the House of Representatives on its Purported Resolution to Suspend Me: Eat It or Better Still, Shove It.’
Recall that the Senate had on April 12, 2018, suspended Omo-Agege for 90 legislative days for dragging the chamber to court over the amendment to the Electoral Act 2010 which seeks to reshuffle the sequence of polls during general elections.
Omo-Agege had, however, dismissed the suspension and attended plenary on April 18. The lawmaker’s emergence at the chamber had occurred at the same time when suspected thugs invaded the Senate chamber while plenary was ongoing and made away with the mace.
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, while inaugurating a joint National Assembly investigative panel which had the Senate’s Deputy Majority Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah and Rep. Betty Apiafa as co-chairmen, had noted that there were reports that those who attacked the Senate were led by a serving senator.
The House had last week considered the report by the panel, which indicted Omo-Agege, and approved the recommendation that the senator be suspended for 180 legislative days.
Na’Allah has yet to lay the report before the Senate.
Omo-Agege, in his reaction, dismissed the resolution by the House and accused Saraki of being a dictator.
The statement read in part, “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.
Omo-Agege described himself as “a good student of Constitutional Law, saying he was “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.”
He stated, “Not being a member of the House of Representatives, I cannot be subjected to any form of investigation or disciplinary action by the House.”
The lawmaker pointed out that with Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution, the National Assembly had no power whatsoever to investigate a crime.
He said, “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.”
Omo-Agege noted that there were several judicial decisions that legislative houses could not suspend their members, while matters of his suspension by the Senate and National Assembly’s investigation of the mace theft were before the court, making the action by the House subjudice.
He said, “It is elementary that parties are not supposed to take steps to foist fait accompli on a court that is already seized of issues between such parties. But some would rather turn the Senate into 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.”
The lawmaker added, “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 untrammelled 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.”
Reacting, Saraki’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, said senators who believed in the Senate President’s leadership would respond to Omo-Agege.
Olaniyonu said, “Ordinarily, I don’t reply senators out of respect, for the fact that they are my principal’s colleagues. That is why you have not seen me replying all the diatribe from Senators Abdullahi Adamu, Senator Ali Ndume and him. At the right time, their colleagues will reply to them. It is out of deliberate respect for them that I, as the spokesman for the Senate President, will not be seen to be exchanging hot words with his colleagues. That is one of the ethics of the Office of the President of the Senate under Senator Bukola Saraki.”
Also responding to Omo-Agege, a senator loyal to Saraki dismissed the Parliamentary Support Group in the Senate, which has Adamu, Ndume and Omo-Agege as part of its membership, as a group of aggrieved lawmakers.
The senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the lawmakers had been attacking Saraki for personal reasons.
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Reps tell FG to fix date for census
The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to fix a date for national census scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019.
This followed a motion under “Matters of Urgent Public Importance” by Rep. Ossy Prestige (Abia-APGA), on the need to conduct census for proper planning and development in Nigeria.
Moving the motion, the lawmaker quoted the United Nations Fund for Population Activities as saying that Nigeria had a dynamic economy and large population expected to double in the next two decades.
He said that census is a pivotal and necessary tool for the growth of any emerging society, which in turn informed decision-making at all facets of public and private sector.
Prestige pointed out that the last census was held in 2006, and that the nation’s population then was estimated at 140, 431, 790, with estimated growth of less than three per cent yearly.
He said that 12 years after the census, the current population of Nigeria was not known, but the recent estimate by the present Chairman of National Population Commission (NPC) put the population at 297 million.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the lack of up-to-date and accurate data on population in Nigeria had affected national planning and development at all levels that culminated in human and agricultural insecurity in Nigeria.
He said that a census based on biometric data would capture all Nigerians, adding that it would also help to solve problems of infiltration and internal security including kidnapping, terrorism and armed robbery.
The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.
The House, therefore, urged the government to make provisions for census funds in 2019 Budget and also appealed to international communities to support same.
It further asked the Federal Government to mobilise the NPC for the completion of Enumeration Area Demarcation and preliminary preparation of the census.
The House also mandated its Committee on Legislative Compliance to liaise with the NPC for strict compliance and report back to it for further legislative action.
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Reps probe NNPC for allegedly under remitting N100bn into federation account
The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into the earnings of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from since the beginning of this year.
The lawmakers said the ambiguities surrounding the running of state-owned oil firm made it imperative for the lawmakers to ascertain the volume of production of oil within the period under review.
The probe will also ascertain the country’s earnings for that period, an ad hoc panel will also find out the status of cash calls involving joint venture operations including the template used in arriving at the sharing formula.
Also, the House will be looking at the exchange rate during the period due to the fact that NNPC sells its crude in dollars but remits to the Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA) in naira.
The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a matter of urgent national importance by Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta), who said the failure of NNPC to remit about N100b into the CFA threw states and local governments that depended on the monthly allocation into a financial challenge that affected the payment of their June salaries.
He said the development was frustrating as it was not the first time such under – remittances would be made by NNPC.
“Such under-remittance at a time when oil price is high and stable calls for an investigation because if not addressed, NNPC would just inform the nation one day that it has nothing to remit to the CRA from its crude oil sales. One organisation cannot be allowed to make a black spot on Nigeria,” he added.
Dennis Amadi (PDP, Enugu) regretted that the country’s commonwealth is being mismanaged by NNPC, lending credence to allegations in the past on how the organisation is being managed.
According to him, the corporation’s head was being alleged to have disbursed $5billion for oil prospecting, constructing highways in other countries as a well as payment of oil subsidies without due process.
“NNPC seems to be higher than everyone but there’s a need to pressure it into doing what is right,” he said.
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Senate invasion: Reps approve 180 days’ suspension for Omo-Agege
The House of Representatives on Tuesday endorsed the recommendations of a joint ad hoc committee of the National Assembly, which recommended the immediate suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for 180 legislative days.
The joint committee was constituted to investigate the invasion of the Senate chamber on April 18 and subsequent stolen of the mace.
The committee’s 10-point recommendation was adopted after Rep. Betty Apiafi (Rivers-PDP), Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, laid the report at the Tuesday’s plenary session.
The legislators also called for the immediate prosecution of Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central) and six other suspects on charges of treasonable felony, assault occasioning harm, conspiracy to steal and actual theft of the mace.
They resolved that Omo-Agege should also be prosecuted for incitement and breach of peace inside the Senate chamber and contempt ex-facie.
At its Committee of the Whole, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Lasun Yusuff, the lawmakers urged the National Assembly management to review the existing security operational procedure.
This, they resolved would enable the Sergeant-at-Arms to take the lead in providing security in the complex.
Also, the House recommended special compensation for five members of staff who did their best to retrieve the mace, but were overpowered by the invading thugs.
It also commended the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, for refusing to be intimidated by the invasion and upholding his oath of office.
Recall that Omo-Agege was suspended by the Senate for 90 days in April.
This followed his comments at a press briefing that the proposed amendment of the 2010 Electoral Act to change the sequence of elections set by INEC was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari.
Although, he later apologised for his comments, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges recommended his suspension for 181 legislative days.
Senate President Bukola Saraki recommended its reduction to 90 legislative days.
After his suspension, thugs believed to be working for him invaded the Senate and made away with the Mace, the symbol of authority. Omo-Agege, however, denied any involvement with the incident.
He later challenged his suspension in court and the Federal High Court in Abuja subsequently nullified the action, directing that he should be allowed to resume.
On May 16, he turned up in the senate and signed the attendance register at about 10.30a.m before proceeding to the upper legislative chambers just as the Senate was going into a closed-door session.
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Reps to probe N2.8bn Federal Fire Service fund
The House of Representatives on Wednesday, said it would investigate the status of the N2.8 billion appropriated for the Federal Fire Service in the 2011 budget.
This was sequel to a motion by Ayeola Abayomi (Lagos-APC) on the need to unravel the mystery behind the withheld fund at the plenary in Abuja.
He said the House was at a loss over the whereabouts of the money; hence, there was a need to investigate the utilisation or non-utilisation of the N2.8 billion.
He said investigation became imperative, considering the rising number of lives and property lost to fire in some parts of the country.
”Besides, the confusion over the status of the fund on whether it was not released or misappropriated made the investigation more imperative,” Abayomi said.
He said it was disheartening that “the federal fire service is in a terrible condition, being poorly equipped and thus cannot respond to its current challenges.
“In 2011, N2.8 billion was appropriated for the federal fire service to purchase trucks and equipment.
“But till date, the money has not been released, hence the need to probe the whereabouts of the money.
“Only 15 out of the 36 states of the federation have functioning fire services, this exposes people of the 21 states to the consequences of an inferno.”
Abayomi said there had been several fire disasters in public places “such as the Ogbete main Market, Enugu in which 35 shops were destroyed in November 2017.”
He also recalled that in 2016, during the Sabon Gari Market inferno in Kano, 3,800 shops were razed by fire.
“The National Association of Nigerian Traders said that in the last 17 years, traders lost about N5.3 billion to fire disasters.
“Oftentimes, people do not give the right of way to fire trucks to pass in the course of a fire incident.
“In many cases, buildings have been arbitrarily erected in streets, thereby obstructing fire trucks from reaching burning buildings.”
However, attempt by the Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyema, to discourage the House from proceeding with the investigation was rebuffed.
Onyema said his argument was based on the fact that the non-release of the fund took place before the timeline of the current House, a development he said had limited the powers of the House.
The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
Dogara then referred the matter to the Committee on Interior for investigation.
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Reps threaten to order arrest of NEMA DG for shunning invitations
The House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the ministry of Finance and other relevant parties to furnish the committee with all transaction details of N5. 6 billion funds released to four companies in relation to the Emergency Food Programme in the North East.
The committee made this demand after another investigative session on the alleged breach of trust by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the National Assembly.
According to the committee, the documents are to guide the panel to uncover the mystery surrounding the release of funds and to establish whether it was given to the companies as a loan or under whatever condition.
The decision to ask for the documents arose when beneficiaries of the contract to mop up grains, which were said to have been distributed in the North East, and the accountant general of the federation said they were selected for the job without asking for a loan to finance it from the CBN, while the Central Bank, on the other hand, insisted that the N5.6 billion was a loan.
Chairman of the committee, Hon Ali Isa J.C, also summoned the director general of NEMA to appear in its next sitting or face a warrant of arrest issued on him to compel him to appear.
This is the third consecutive time the DG is failing to attend the hearing despite repeated invitations from the committee.
Hon Ali said the agency has a penchant for sending notice of its DG’s absence from the meeting either 30 minutes before the hearing commences or when the hearing has already commenced.
He added that the panel will give him one more chance to appear on the 31st of May, 2018, or face sanctions.
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Buhari entitled to opinion on performance of NASS members – Reps
The House of Representatives on Wednesday said President Muhammadu Buhari is entitled to hold an opinion regarding the performance of National Assembly members.
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas, stated this while briefing reporters on Wednesday in Abuja.
Namdas was reacting to Buhari’s uncomplimentary comment about the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday.
Buhari had come down hard on the members of the National Assembly.
He also said unlike the previous administrations, he made the highest provision for capital projects, N1.3 trillion in the budget he took to the Assembly.
“Let anybody come and confront me publicly in the National Assembly. What have they been doing?
“Some of them have been there for 10 years. What have they been doing?” he asked.
According to Namdas, as for the president’s remarks, ”we believe that the president can hold an opinion as regards the performance of individual members of the national assembly”.
“In fact, our constituents have been doing just that – members of the national assembly have been replaced by their constituents as a result of such opinions.
“However, we want to believe that the president was not questioning the role of the National Assembly as an institution of democracy because that will be a worrying sign that our democracy will be in peril.”
Meanwhile, on the 2017 budget, Mr Namdas said that the budget was meant to run for 12 months and that nobody had been short-changed.
“Off course, we had passed this budget earlier, and I can tell that the level of performance will not be here at the moment.
“The budget is a law; even, this 2018 budget that was just passed by the national assembly, we stated clearly that it should run for 12 months.
“So, even if we had passed the budget earlier than now, it cannot take effect until we amend that aspect of the 12 calendar months,” he explained.
The lawmaker also commended the president for last year’s budget and the 2018 Appropriation Bill, saying that he put N1.2 trillion for capital.