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Tag: Reps

  • Reps condemn attack on Senate, says NASS won’t be intimidated

    Sequel to Wednesday’s attack on the Senate and subsequent hijacking of the mace, the House of Representatives has called for a total overhaul of the National Assembly security system.

    The lawmakers condemned the porosity of the National Assembly complex where adequate security was said to be grossly lacking.

    While reiterating their solidarity, the lawmakers, however, vow that they won’t be intimidated by the attack.

    The call followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, who described the invasion of the Senate by hoodlums as attack on the highest arm of the institution.

    He said: “In every democracy, the mace is vital to the parliament. We don’t know the facts yet, though it has started to unravel.

    “What we do know is that thugs came into the floor of the Senate while members are sitting, picked up the mace and took off with it into a waiting car in front of the White House.

    “How this happened is a cause for concern because it is easier for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for anybody to walk into the chamber and pick up the mace.

    “It is sad that on this day we have visiting parliamentarians from the Gambia and we have to apologise to them because they should not leave with a bad taste in their mouth.

    “So, we have to join the Senate in solidarity because as it is now, we are sitting ducks and we will be forever if something is not done on the matter.

    “This moment should be used for what we should have done long ago. This place is porous. Things we should not see are happening everywhere. You see people hawking, some selling clothes and suya. How did they get in?

    “There is a need to discuss how to beef up the security at the National Assembly.

    “This attack is sacrilegious and could have been worse. This is akin to a terrorist attack but we will not be intimidated.

    “This attack is meant to stop us from performing our job but we will sit and do our job.”

  • Why we won’t suspend investigations into NEMA fraud – Reps

    The House of Representatives committee on national emergency and disaster preparedness has said it is prepared to dig into the roots of the fraud at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) despite intimidation and blackmail from some quarters.

    Members of the committee stated this on Tuesday during a press briefing at the National Assembly.

    They held the press briefing to address allegations that some suspended directors of the agency, in league with the former Director General of NEMA had “formed an alliance with certain members and illegally procured and stolen papers from NEMA files in their bid to exonerate themselves and challenge their suspension.”

    Speaking on behalf of the committee, Johnson Agbonayinma (APC, Edo State) said the committee had no special interest in the suspended directors, but rather got to know about it (allegations) from the Director General, Mustapha Maihaja.

    “The attention of the House of Representatives has been drawn to reports in some national dailies, on the ongoing investigation by the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness on the “Need to Investigate Alleged Violation of Public Trust in National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA).

    “We also want to put it on record that as at today there is no petition from any staff of NEMA to the Committee or the House of Representatives.

    “The issue of the suspended directors was mentioned by the Director General, Engr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja himself during one of the committee hearing, when he introduced a new Director of Finance and we sought to know what happened to the former director and he admitted to suspending them.”

    He said the committee also sought to know whether the suspension followed due process because the same directors are witnesses in the ongoing investigation.

    “We have also observed with dismay, the ongoing campaign of calumny sponsored to pitch the House against the Presidency, especially His Excellency, the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN.”

    He said Mr Osinbajo’s “only involvement” is because according to the law establishing NEMA, Section 2 Sub-Section 2(a) the Vice President is the Chairman of the Governing Council.

    “We therefore want to know if the council under the vice president authorised the suspension of the directors.

    “Notwithstanding the provision of Section 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which empowers the National Assembly to invite any person to appear before it, or its committee during investigations.”

    On the invitation of the vice president to explain his role to the committee, Mr. Agbonayinma said the committee resolved that the vice president can send a representative.

    He said the committee will leave no stone unturned until the truth is out.

    “We will also not shield any public officer who soil their hands no matter how highly or lowly placed.

    “We want to state unequivocally that no amount of blackmail or campaign of calumny will deter or prevent us from conducting.

    The committee is investigating the release of N5.9 billion food intervention in the North-east, another N3.1 billiin food intervention in the region, release of N1.6 billion for Libyan returnees, release of N1.6 billion flood intervention for 16 states and donation of 6,779 metric tonnes of rice by the Chinese Government.

    It is also investigating the payment of about N800 million demurrage on donated rice by the Chinese government and the N10 billion release from the Ecological Funds

     

  • Reps summon Osinbajo, Magu, Oyo-Ita over controversial suspension of NEMA officials

    The House of Representatives has summoned Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to appear before its Committee on Emergency and Disaster Management to answer questions on the controversial suspension of six senior officers of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    The House ordered that the suspended officers should be recalled while EFCC investigate the case against them.

    Also to appear alongside the Vice President is Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, the Head of Service Federal Civil Service of the Federation (HoFCS) Winifred Oyo-Ita and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) Ahmed Idris.

    The vice president was, however, asked to send a representative, if his schedule would not allow him.

    The summon was moved as a motion by Umar Bago (APC, Niger) and was carried by the committee members.

    The suspended officers are the Director of Finance and Accounts, Akinbola Gbolahan; Acting Director, Special Duties Mr. Umesi Emenike and Director, Risk Reduction Alhassan Nuhu.

    Others are the pilot in charge of Air Ambulance and Aviation Unit, Mr. Mamman Ibrahim; Chief Maintenance Officer Mr. Deji and Director of Welfare Mr. Kanar Mohammed.

    At the day three of the investigative hearing on the activities of the agency yesterday , the Ali Isa-led committee said the process that led to the suspension has to be explained by the vice president being the chairman of NEMA Governing board.

    NEMA DG Abubakar Maihaja had told the committee that the decision to suspend the six officers was taken by the council after it was inaugurated by the VP.

    When asked if the suspension was verbal or formal and if procedure as prescribed by public service rules was followed, Maihaja responded that suspension was not verbal.

    He said: “The report of the EFCC that led to the decision to suspend the officers was not released to the members though they were allowed to scrutinise it.

    “At the meeting, members were not allowed to take the letter out but allowed to go through it because the EFCC investigation is still ongoing.

    “The reality is that the document is confidential and the chairman made us aware that if giving out, the information therein would be exposed.

    “The instruction for the suspension wasn’t verbal by the VP but a meeting of governing council gave the approval. It was a resolution of the governing council.

    “If the VP had wanted to give instruction verbally, he would have done that before the inauguration of the council…

    “The council took the decision and taking instruction from the council, I signed the letters but the EFCC investigation is still ongoing”.

    On the N5 billion Northeast intervention fund, the DG said no money of such amount was received by NEMA, except N829 million for logistics and security.

    He, however, confirmed that food items worth the said amount was received and N829 million was used for the movement of the materials to the region.

    “I received items not money worth N5,036 billion and we were instructed to pick them from the stores. Some companies have not, however, delivered theirs like Golden Agric Input Ltd.

    “Food items were reviewed from Dangote, Bua Flour Mills and others and we have distributed and still distributing. Fifty per cent was moved to Maiduguri, 20 per cent to Yobe and 10 to Bauchi Gombe and Taraba.

    The DG was also questioned on the eligibility of some companies engaged for the supply of 10,000 metric tonnes of rice valued at N3 billion.

    “We engaged the companies used under emergency as proscribed under Emergency Act,” he said.

    On the qualification of officers that signed contract award documents, he said, “To the best of my conviction and according to the records, we had no procurement officer as at that time but planning officers, who were not qualified to carry out such assignment.”

    Several organisations relevant to the investigation were also asked to appear before the committee to give information that would aid the exercise.

  • Oyegun cancels meeting with APC Reps over Buhari’s rejection of tenure extension

    Embattled chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on Wednesday hastily called off a scheduled meeting between the National Working Committee of the party and House of Representatives caucus.

    Oyegun was scheduled to lead the NWC members to the meeting at 2pm.

    Investigations that the venue, Conference Room 034, House of Representatives Wing, National Assembly Complex, was set for the meeting and many members had arrived ahead of 2pm.

    The Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, had also led some officials to the venue, awaiting the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, to receive Odigie-Oyegun.

    It was gathered that Oyegun had written the lawmakers on March 15, requesting a meeting with them on happenings in the polity.

    The letter, which signed by Oyegun himself read in part, “I wish to request that you arrange an early meeting between the NWC and the APC House Caucus at the National Assembly to discuss a few recent developments in the polity.”

    While Gbajabiamila and other members of the party were waiting for the meeting to start, words came from Odigie-Oyegun that it had been cancelled.

    A source said, “The chairman’s advance party and secretariat members of staff had already arrived in the National Assembly.

    “But, Odigie-Oyegun called Gbajabiamila on the telephone to say the meeting would no longer be taking place.”

    It was learnt that the turn of events flowed from the outcome of the party’s Tuesday National Executive Committee meeting, where President Muhammadu Buhari opposed tenure elongation for the Oyegun-led NWC.

    “A message got to him (Oyegun) that some members celebrated the action of the President.

    “His associates claimed that the chairman was not sure of the likely reception to receive from the lawmakers,” a legislative source said

    Reacting to the development, House leader, Femi Gbajabiamila said: “There is nothing serious. I mean, there are no issues with the party. All the organs and activities are working.

    “Members are angry? How? Why will they be angry? There is nothing of that nature,” Gbajabiamila said.

  • $30,000 bribery allegation: We didn’t collect bribe to change election sequence – Reps

    Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday denied an allegation that they received $30,000 bribe to back down from overriding President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill, 2018.

    They described it as “pure falsehood” intended to intimidate lawmakers to abandon their insistence of changing the sequence of elections ahead of the 2019 polls.

    The Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, referred the issue to the Committee on Ethics/Privileges for investigation after a member raised it as a matter of privilege.

    The member, Mr. Abubakar Danburam-Nuhu, who is from Kano State, said the bribery allegation dented his image as a legislator, “especially when it is not true.”

    Buhari had rejected the controversial amendment, which sought to change the order of elections by placing the presidential poll last. He withheld his assent to the bill.

    But, the House in particular, began a process of passing the bill again for Buhari’s signature.

    However, before the referral, lawmakers took turns to express their anger over the allegation and threatened to initiate legal actions against the media houses that published the allegation.

    Danburam-Nuhu said following the allegation, his constituency had begun to question his integrity, allegedly accusing him of taking bribe.

    He added, “I earned my reputation through hard work and I will not sit here and allow people to say things that are not true.

    “This matter should be thoroughly investigated by the Committee on Ethics/Privileges.”

    Another member from Kogi State, Mr. Tajudeen Yusuf, told the House that the allegation was a “fabrication to paint the House in bad light.”

    He spoke further, “We know the truth. The truth is that there is no such transaction in this House.

    “What they are trying to do is to cast aspersions on the integrity of the legislature.”

    An All Progressives Congress member from Kano State, Mr. Aliyu Madaki, challenged anyone making such an allegation to produce the evidence.

    He said, “The questions to ask are: ‘bribe by whom? In whose interest? If we are to veto the President, is it not part of the powers of the legislature?’

    “It is wrong to assume that everybody is corrupt and everyone accepts bribe.

    “Let me state that no amount of intimidation and threats will stop us from doing what is right. So long as our constituencies support us, we will do it.”

    A member from Abia State, Mr. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, asked whose interest the lawmakers would be serving by reversing a bill they had long passed.

    “Who is afraid of the elections sequence? We must complete this change. We were not influenced when we passed the bill. Why is someone now saying that dollars are being used to change it again?”

    But, the Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, said a preferred line of action was to sue the media organisations that published the alleged bribery.

    Gbajabiamila argued that suing the media houses and their reporters was the only way to stop what he called “incessant attacks” on the National Assembly.

    He added, “This is a matter for litigation. It is the only way to stop the incessant attacks on the National Assembly.

    “Bribery and corruption are criminal offences punishable by a term of imprisonment. The only defence in this matter is truth and proof.

    “We are about going home for Easter. Before long, our constituents will come to us to ask for their own share of a bribe that does not exist.”

    However, Dogara directed that the matter should first be investigated by the Committee on Ethics/Privileges to guide the House on what course of action to take in a law court.

    “It is a matter of privilege. By our rules, matters of privilege are investigated by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges,” the Speaker said.

  • Reps to extend validity of 2017 budget to May 31

    The House of Representatives is perfecting moves to extend validity and spending in the 2017 budget to May 31 passage and presidential assent of the 2018 budget.

    The moves were made known on Tuesday by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Mustapha Dawaki during a joint public hearing on the national budget held at the National Assembly.

    Recall that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogar had last week announced that the 2018 budget will be laid before both chambers on April 19 and passed on April 24.

    Dogara said the harmonised date was decided by both chambers of the National Assembly.

    Dawaki further disclosed that the lawmakers had written to the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, to extend the budget.

    “We are told that the Office of the Accountant-General is expected to close the account as at March ending.

    “We have written a letter yesterday, drawing his attention to the fact that the budget should be extended to May 31st. But if the passage of the budget, scheduled for April 24, is done and gets the president’s assent, whichever comes earlier, then the Accountant-General should also strictly adhere to the contents of the letter,” he said.

    He further asked all contractors to continue working, adding that “budget account will not be closed until budget is passed and accepted by the president or until the 31st of May, 2018.”

    In his opening remark, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, stressed that the Public Hearing on the Budget as part of the enactment process, has come to stay.

    He explained that the National Assembly was concerned about government-owned enterprises whose operating surpluses have always been significantly lower than projections.

    “Invariably, over the years, the performance of independent revenues has fallen short by at least 50 per cent. While we work towards setting new performance standards for government corporations as well as developing stronger oversight frameworks to improve performance in independent revenues, we do expect more realistic projections of Corporations operating surpluses,” he said.

    Saraki emphasised the need for the Finance Bill, urging the government to show clarity and consistency in its policies and to see how these will square up to its financial projections for 2018.

    “While it is important to achieve equity and balance in the spread of development projects around the country, we must also prioritise human capital development. It is in this vein that the National Assembly will prioritise expenditure on critical health and education facilities as well as soft infrastructure,” he added.

  • Vote of no Confidence: In saner climes, Fayemi would have been sacked by now – Reps

    Sequel to passing vote of no confidence, the House of Representatives on Thursday said it will no longer address the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as ‘honorable minister.”

    The lawmakers also noted that in other climes, passing a vote of no confidence in a minister was enough grounds for the President to sack him, adding that the House did not need to stress it.

    In a resolution in Abuja, the House observed that Fayemi’s decision to engage PricewaterhouseCoopers, a “globally discredited” firm, to conduct a technical audit on Ajaokuta Steel Company, meant that he was bent on concessioning the firm.

    To stop Fayemi, the House proposed to amend the Privatisation Act immediately by expunging ASC from the list of public assets in the schedule that can be privatised or concessioned by the Federal Government.

    It also sought to further amend the Act by removing the powers of the National Council on Privatisation as the authority to decide on which firms should be on the schedule.

     

  • JUST IN: Reps lift suspension on Jibrin

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday lifted the suspension placed on the former Chairman of its Committee on Appropriation, Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin (Kano-APC).

    This followed a letter of apology sent to the House by Jibrin, which was presented by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, at plenary.

    Recall that the lawmaker was suspended in 2016 for 180 legislative days for allegedly exposing “budget padding” scandal in the legislative arm of government.

    Presenting the letter, Dogara said that the suspended legislator had met all the conditions necessary for him to resume his duties.

    He, therefore, said that the lawmaker was free to resume his legislative duties whenever he wished.

     

    Details shortly…

  • Reps to investigate underage voting in Kano

    The House of Representatives has constituted a panel to probe reported registration of underage voters by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kano State.

    The decision followed the adoption of a motion moved by Johnbull Shekarau (Plateau – APC).

    Mr. Shekarau observed that the registration of underage voters, if left unchecked, will have adverse effects on the peaceful conduct, credibility of future elections and the legitimacy of elected leaders.

    “The incident caused serious embarrassment to the nation and amounts to a threat to our growing democracy and a danger to the security of lives of officials posted to handle sensitive national issues such as registration of eligible voters,” he said.

    He also observed that the Director of Publicity and Voter Education at INEC, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, while responding to questions on the Africa Independent Television (AIT) on the matter on February 15, said underage voters were registered upon threats to the lives of registration officers, a revelation the house unanimously condemned.

    INEC set up a fact-finding committee on the issue following a public outcry that greeted videos and photos of underage voting.

    The INEC fact-finding team, however, said it did not find any evidence of underage voting.

    The chairman of the committee, Abubakar Nahuce, told journalists that from his team’s interaction with civil society organisations and media, showed no evidence of underage voting emerged.

  • Reps probe N23bn disbursement to ASUU

    The House of Representatives on Monday commenced investigation into the disbursement of N23 billion released by Federal Government to Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    Chairman, Committee on Tertiary Education of the House, Rep. Suleiman Aminu, requested for the breakdown of the disbursement.

    He said that the ASUU strike also affected the polytechnics and colleges of education.

    In his presentation, Mr Samson Ugwoke, Chairman, Joint Action Committee of the three non-academic unions of universities, confirmed the release of the N23 billion.

    He said that the committee set up to oversee the disbursement of the fund, approved 89 per cent for ASUU and 11 per cent for the non-academic staff unions.

    Ugwoke, however, explained that University of Ilorin and University of Nigeria, Nsukka did not benefit, while University of Lagos got the least allocation.

    He said that the Minister and Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Education at a meeting held on Sept. 19, 2017 admitted that ASUU hijacked the process of distribution of the fund.

    He added that they promised to mop-up money for the three non-academic staff unions, with an appeal to the unions to call off the industrial action.

    Earlier, Mr Abubakar Rasheed, Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), had argued that most of the demands in 2009 agreement were not implementable as most of the demands were not clear.

    According to him, the agreement contained many combustible that when touched, would explode.

    Rasheed added that the “infighting among the four unions will spell doom for the system because students will suffer.”

    Reacting to the submissions, Mr Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, said that payments were made by the Accountant-General to the universities.

    According to him, it is just that more of the staff that benefitted belong to ASUU.

    “Although the time the N23 billion was released, the Federal Government was addressing ASUU strike, but when the money came, the ministry insisted that other unions should be carried along.”

    Echono, however, assured that the next fund that would be released by the government would be basically released to the non-academic staff in the universities.

    He confirmed that logistics were being worked out to ensure timely payment of the allowances, but declined to disclose details of the amount to be released and time.

    In his ruling, Aminu, who presided at the sessions, urged the three striking non-academic staff unions to suspend the nationwide strike while negotiation continues.

    He also tasked relevant authorities responsible for the release of the funds to expedite action.

    Aminu explained that the committee intended to ensure five years uninterrupted academic session in the Nigeria’s tertiary education.

    He also unveiled plans to convey stakeholders’ retreat on the 2009 agreement with the view to sort out grey areas.

    The committee chairman urged officials of the ministry and leadership of the unions to convene another meeting in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

    This, he said. was to work out a position paper for the unions to present to their members at the JAC meeting.