Tag: Senators

  • 56 U.S. Senators vote to proceed with impeachment trial of Donald Trump

    56 U.S. Senators vote to proceed with impeachment trial of Donald Trump

    The US Senate voted on Tuesday to proceed with the impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump, rejecting defense arguments that it was unconstitutional.

    Defense lawyers had argued that Trump should not face a trial in the Senate for inciting insurrection because he was no longer president.

    But the Senate voted 56-44 to proceed with the trial, with six Republicans joining Democratic lawmakers.

    The vote, held before the main part of the trial was to get underway Wednesday, saw six Republicans join all 50 Democrats in the evenly divided Senate.

    Despite this modest show of bipartisanship, the result highlighted the nearly impossible task of getting the two-thirds majority — requiring 17 Republicans to join the Democrats — that would be needed to convict Trump of inciting insurrection.

    Earlier, both sides presented their opening cases, with Democrats arguing that Trump broke his oath in a naked bid to retain power after losing the November election to Joe Biden.

    Refusing to accept his defeat, Trump spread lies about vote rigging and repeatedly pressured officials, including then vice president Mike Pence, to try and stop the transfer of power.

    Finally, on January 6, Trump told enraged Republican supporters near the White House to “fight like hell.” The crowd, chanting “stop the steal,” then attacked Congress, where Pence and lawmakers were in the process of certifying Biden’s victory.

    “If Congress were to just stand completely aside in the face of such an extraordinary crime against the Republic, it would invite future presidents to use their power without any fear of accountability,” Democratic impeachment manager Joe Neguse said.

    Video from the January 6 mayhem played back inside the ornate Senate packed the biggest punch.

    Senators — who witnessed the events first hand when they had to be rushed to safety that day — watched raw footage of Trump’s speech and the crowd’s ensuing assault on the Capitol.

    The video montage showed the mob chanting pro-Trump slogans as it smashed through the doors, swarmed over police, and managed for the first time in history to disrupt the congressional vote certifying the election.

    “If that’s not an impeachable offense, then there is no such thing,” lead impeachment manager Jamie Raskin said.

    Fighting tears, Raskin recounted how he and his family — who were visiting to watch the certification — had been trapped, listening to “the sound of pounding on the door like a battering ram, the most haunting sound I have ever heard.”

    “This cannot be the future of America,” he implored senators.

    Trump laywer David Schoen, however, said the Senate had no jurisdiction to try Trump once he had left office and warned that the impeachment threatened to “tear this country apart.”

    It will leave the United States “far more divided and our standing around the world will be badly broken,” he argued.

  • Insecurity: Senators urge new service chiefs to commence work immediately

    Insecurity: Senators urge new service chiefs to commence work immediately

    Senators have urged the new Service Chiefs to commence work immediately by addressing security challenges facing the country.

    A cross section of senators interviewed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday lauded the appointment of the new service chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari.
    Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), said the appointment had been long awaited.

    “The appointment of new service chiefs is better late than never.
    “We have been calling for this for a long time now.
    “Let us hope that this team would stem the tide of insecurity,” he said.

    Sen. Ahmed Babba Kaita (APC-Katsina), corroborated Abaribe’s claim saying that the appointment was in response to the yearnings of Nigerians.

    “It is in response to the yearnings of Nigerians and I believe we are all good for it.

    “It is a very good development and I want to believe that we are going to see a consolidation of the progress made so far because as you are all aware, in the last two months, the military have been recording successes both in the fight against Boko Haram and kidnappings.

    “We are very grateful for this development and we expect nothing less from the incoming personnel. We expect them to be ready to take over and consolidate on the security gains so far made,” he said.

    Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP-Anambra ) commended Buhari for the appointment of the service chiefs.

    “I want to thank Mr President for yielding to the cries of Nigerians. I believe every journey has an end.

    “The relieved service chiefs have done very well within their own capacity and Nigerians have for long yearned for a change which is one of the mantra of the current regime.

    “It is only change that is permanent and haven done this, I want to thank the President and as well plead on the incoming service chiefs to commit their new posting toward the wellbeing of Nigerians.

    “We need to have a better security infrastructure in our country,” Ubah said.

    Buhari had appointed new Service Chiefs as follows; Maj.-Gen. Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj.-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and AVM Isiaka Amao, Chief of Air Staff.

  • BREAKING: Senate tackles Buhari, demands sack of service chiefs over worsening insecurity

    BREAKING: Senate tackles Buhari, demands sack of service chiefs over worsening insecurity

    Worried about the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, senators on Tuesday demanded the sacking of the nation’s service chiefs.

    The request is coming days after the gruesome killings by Boko Haram terrorists of 43 rice farmers in Zabarmari village in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday.

    The lawmakers are also asking President Buhari to restructure and remodel the entire security architecture and investigate allegations of widespread corruption and leakages within the security architecture.

    The lawmakers made this recommendation at Tuesday’s plenary during a debate on security in the nation and the attack on rice farmers in Borno State which left at least 40 dead.

    The Upper Chamber also recommends the recruitment of 10,000 civilian JTF to complement the efforts of the armed forces and explore a multilateral partnership with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

    At the ongoing proceeding today (Tuesday), former Borno State governor, Senator Kashim Shettima, raised a motion for Buhari to replace all service chiefs for underperformance in the war against Boko Haram

    Another Senator, Adamu Aliero tackled President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to visit Borno in person after the ugly incident.

    “Mr President (@MBuhari) should have gone to Borno to condole with the government and people of the state and not to send a delegation. It is now time to act. The service chiefs have outlived their usefulness. It is now time to take new blood.” Senator Adamu Aliero

    Similarly, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, says Boko Haram’s massacre of farmers in Borno should be a turning point for the war against insurgency and insecurity in Nigeria.

    “Enough of any excuses. People who have little or nothing to add should be shown the way out.” He added

    Details soon…

  • Lawan kicks against scrapping of Senate, says Nigerians free to vote out dormant senators in 2023

    Lawan kicks against scrapping of Senate, says Nigerians free to vote out dormant senators in 2023

    Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on Thursday said Nigerians are free to kick out lawmakers who they deemed under-performing in the Ninth National Assembly jointed headed by him (Lawan) and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

    Lawan also faulted the argument of those clamouring for the upper legislative chamber to be scrapped because of the perceived jumbo pay being earned by the senators.

    He stated this on Friday while declaring open, a retreat for top management staff of the National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission in Abuja.

    Lawan challenged Nigerians who are not comfortable with the senators in the 9th Senate to vote them out in 2023 if they don’t like their faces.

    The Senate president warned that there could be anarchy if the Senate is scrapped as being clamoured by some Nigerians. He described the Senate as a leveler which ensured that all parts of the country are equally represented unlike the House of Representatives where states with higher populations produce the highest number of lawmakers.

    More details later…

  • Water Resources Bill won’t scale through Senate – Senators vow

    Water Resources Bill won’t scale through Senate – Senators vow

    Senators Tuesday vowed to reject a proposed Water Resources Bill when it is presented to the Senate.

    The Bill which has already scaled first reading in the House of Representatives has continued to generate controversy.

    There are however indications that the Bill would likely be presented to the Senate on resumption from their current break on September 15.

    Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, told reporters in Abuja that even though the Bill is yet to surface on the floor of the Senate, it would not be allowed to see the light of day when it is eventually presented.

    “We have not seen it in the Senate. When it comes we will reject as before,” Abaribe said in a terse text message in reply to an enquiry on the Bill by a reporter in Abuja.

    On her part, Senator Biodun Olujimi, said Senators would not support any Bill that may be injurious to Nigerians.

    Olujimi told reporters during an interview in Abuja that Senators would stand up against any legislation capable of disrupting the fragile peace in the country.

    She said: “The truth is that I am not aware of that Bill at all. However, anything that will injure our people, some of us will never be part of it.

    “We will speak up against it when the time comes because nobody would be allowed to injure our people.

    “We will not allow any legislation to ruin the fragile peace that we have in this country.

    “We will not allow our fragile peace to be destroyed as a result of any political, personal or ethno-religious reasons.

    “We won’t allow it because we are one entity and we must fight for the people of Nigeria.

    “The Bill which is currently being treated at the House of Representatives would require the concurrence of the Senate and when the time comes, we won’t let it just fly like that.”

  • By-elections: Nigerians seeking to be senators on APC platform to pay N7m for forms

    By-elections: Nigerians seeking to be senators on APC platform to pay N7m for forms

    Senatorial aspirants jostling for the All Progressives Congress (APC) tickets in the forthcoming legislative by-elections are to pay N7 million for the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms.

    Houses of Assembly aspirants are to buy the forms for N850,000 each, while female aspirants and physically challenged aspirants are to pay 50 per cent of the prescribed fees for each position.

    These details were contained in the party’s timetable and schedule of activities released at the weekend in Abuja for the conduct of the 2020 concurrent legislative by-elections in eight states by APC Director of Organisation, Professor Medaner Ussiju Al-Mustapha.

    Last week, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixed the legislative by-elections in eight states for Saturday, October 31.

    The party sent out notice of election to the affected states last Friday and slated the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms from August 15 to August 23, while completed forms and accompanying documents are to be submitted on August 24.

    Screening of aspirants, the party said, will be conducted from August 25 to August 26, 2020; publication of claims and objections will hold on August 28; screening appeal on September 1, while the primary in the 12 constituencies will hold on September 5, 2020.

    Senatorial by-election will hold in Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Bayelsa West, Cross River North, Imo North, Lagos East and Plateau South.

  • Banditry: Rescue Nigerians now from Nigerien army in Sokoto, Senators tell Buhari

    ….as over 5,000 people already migrated to Niger

    …Senate demands mmediate rescue operation in the area
    …300 Nigerians killed within one week

    The Senate was alarmed Tuesday by Senator Ibrahim Gobir ( APC Sokoto East), while presenting a report that people of his constituency are now at the mercy of Nigerien soldiers for protection against armed bandits , as Nigerian Army has left them to their fate.

    To this end, the Senate urged President Muhamnadu Buhari to direct the military for immediate expansion of their operations against banditry from Katsina and Zamfara to Sokoto and Niger States .

    Senator Gobir who made the lamentation while seconding and contributing to a motion on urgent military action against banditry in Niger State , said the Sokoto incidences are worse than any other parts of the country .

    According to him, within the last three months , not less than 300 people in Sokoto East Senatorial District, have either been killed or kidnapped by the rampaging armed bandits on daily basis .

    ” The situation in Sokoto East as far as armed banditry is concerned, is pathetic and tragic because it is only Nigerien Army that had been coming to their rescue while the Nigerian Army looks the other way round .

    ” Infact , based on very reliable and verifiable information from the area, many at times , that the people of the affected areas called on Nigerian Army for help and protection against the bandits , no response .

    ” But graciously , the Nigerien Army has been assisting in wading off the bandits, the very reason while not less than 5,000 people in the affected areas have migrated to Niger Republic for safety”, he said .

    He lamented further that aside the 300 people who had fallen victim of banditry attacks in the area through kidnapping or outright killing, hundreds of cows and other animals have been rusted by the bandits the worth of which is about N2.5billion .

    ” Fallout of this is grinding poverty ravaging the affected people in form of serious hunger since their cows and other animals are on daily basis being stolen and even made from some of the cows they hurriedly sold .

    ” The situation is so bad that we only get help from Niger Republic and not from Nigeria at all, be it from the Military or the Police .

     

    ” The affected people cannot be perpectually be at the mercy of Nigerien Soldiers and still expected to proudly see themselves as Nigerians .

    ” Very urgent drastic action is required from President Buhari through the military in form of expansion of anti- banditry operation currently being carried out in Zamfara and Katsina State to Sokoto State “, he said .

    Senator Sabi Abdullahi had in the motion anchored on orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing rules , lamented of daily occurrence of armed banditry in Niger State requiring urgent intervention from President Muhamnadu Buhari.

    Though the Senate in its resolutions, commended President Buhari for the anti – banditry operations going on in Katsina and Zamfara States , but urged him , for urgent expansion of the exercise in Sokoto and Niger States , in stemming the tide of the ugly situations there .

    In his remarks , the President of the Senate , Senator Ahmad Lawan said the security challenges are enormous but summountable .

    ” Nigeria is definitely up to the task and Mr President will deploy military to the areas for restoration of sanity as gradually being witnessed in Zamfara and Katsina States “, he stated .

  • COVID-19: Nigerian senators agree to donate 50% of salaries till pandemic is over

    COVID-19: Nigerian senators agree to donate 50% of salaries till pandemic is over

    Nigerian senators on Monday agreed to contribute 50 percent of their salaries to support the efforts being made to contain the spread and treatment of Coronavirus (COVID-19) victims in Nigeria.

    Senator Godiya Akwashiki, the acting spokesman of the Senate, confirmed in a statement released in Abuja.

    Akwashiki said the monthly donation would be “sustained” until the COVID-19 pandemic is wiped out of the country.

    Akwashiki said: “After due consultations following a keen review of the national efforts to contain the Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, the Senate wishes to announce that from March 2020, Distinguished Senators will be donating 50 percent of their salaries to these efforts to stop the spread of the disease, otherwise known as COVID-19, in our country.

    “This monthly contribution from the Upper Legislative Chamber will be sustained until Nigeria is declared safe from the ravages of this deadly disease.

    The Senate on Monday said that Senators have agreed to contribute 50 percent of their salaries to support the efforts being made to contain the spread and treatment of Coronavirus (COVID-19) victims in Nigeria.

    “The Senate commends the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the administration towards the goal of securing our nation against this plague.

    “The Senate is willing and ready to do whatever is required of the Legislature for the effectiveness of all the measures in place now or that may be required in the future to win the fight against this menace.

    “The Senate commends all agencies of the Federal and state levels for working in collaboration to protect public health across the country.

    “It also acknowledges the patriotic response of public-spirited individuals and organisations who have contributed in one way or the other in support of this fight.

    “The Senate further appeals to the citizens to comply with the directives on social distancing and observance of basic rules of hygiene as explained by public health officials as the most effective way to protect ourselves, families and country against COVID-19.

    “This is a global adversity that is testing the wit and resilience of mankind all over the world.

    “By staying resolute and each of us responsibly playing their role, COVID-19 like all epidemics before it will soon be pushed into history.”

  • Senators lock horns over lopsided sharing of N100bn constituency cash

    The alleged lopsided sharing of N100 billion constituency projects fund is causing division among lawmakers in the Senate.

    The fund is meant for projects in senators’ constituencies.

    Some senators said some of their colleagues were “unduly favoured” in the distribution of the fund.

    According to them, while some were allocated up to N500 million, others received less than N200 million for execution of projects in their constituencies.

    It was leant that to nip the brewing disquiet in the bud, some senators hurriedly planned a vote of confidence motion in Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

    The motion was aborted due to lack of quorum.

    It was learnt that those who were “favoured” in the allocation of the fund, were behind the confidence vote.

    Findings showed that some ranking senators whose names were on the list as sponsors of the confidence vote, disassociated themselves from it in the last minute “because they were not consulted before their names were included”.

    Read Also: Much ado about constituency projects
    A source noted that due to the sharp division among the sponsors of the confidence vote, the arrowheads called it off.

    Another source who claimed to be part of the original initiators of the confidence vote, noted that the “talk about a possible crack in the upper chamber is real.”

    He said: “Nobody is taking chances hence the need to pass a confidence vote in the leadership.”

    Senator Kashim Shettima (Borno Central) on Tuesday sponsored the motion.

    There were 36 other senators – 25 All Progressives Congress (APC) and 11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as co-sponsors.

    But the motion was abruptly stepped down “till another legislative day”.

    The withdrawal of the motion fueled speculations that all is not totally well in spite of the seeming unity of purpose with which senators have operated.

    The Ninth Senate has made tremendous landmark performance within a short time. It passed the 2020 budget in a record time to return the country to the January to December budget cycle.

    It has also passed the Public Procurement Act amendment Bill, among others.

    It has worked seamlessly with the House of Representatives and harmoniously with the Executive, which has received commendation from President Muhammadu Buhari.

    But the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Godiya Akwashiki, said there was no cause for alarm.

    Senator Akwashiki insisted that the loyalty of senators to the leadership of the Senate is total and complete.

    Akwashiki said: “There is nothing to worry about in the vote of confidence in the leadership of the Senate which was stood down on Wednesday during plenary.

    “It is a vote of confidence and not a vote of no confidence. A vote of confidence is moved when members of a group are in support or in total agreement with the leadership.

    “I see no big deal in the motion being stood down. I want us to exercise patience and wait for the day that the motion would be mentioned on the floor of the Senate.

    “I won’t speak further on it because it is a vote of confidence. I would speak more if it was a vote of no confidence and the Senate President decided to use his power as Presiding Officer to stand down the motion.

    “Those who are moving the vote of confidence are in total support of the leadership. So, it is not a serious issue.

    “On the 36 Senators comprising 25 APC and 11 PDP members listed as co-sponsors of the motion is a normal thing.

    “All of us are in total agreement of the motion but we cannot all have our names in the motion.

    “If all of us should put our names on the list, then it’s no longer a motion. Now that the motion has been brought before the Senate, every senator would have the opportunity to speak on it. The number of sponsors does not matter.

    “The vote of confidence motion has nothing to do with any crisis in the Senate. There is no crisis. Our loyalty to the leadership is total and complete. It is even possible for two senators to move motion on vote of confidence.”

  • Kidnappings: Soldiers should travel by road not rail – Senate

    By Emman Ovuakporie, Abuja
    … insist they should travel by road
    …raise alarm over kidnappers issuing notice to residents
    Disturbed by the spate of kidnappings in the country, the Senate wants soldiers to stop travelling by rail to Kaduna from Abuja since Kidnappers don’t attack them.
    It said kidnappers and bandits have taken over major roads, villages and towns, including the nation’s capital, Abuja.
    This development was sequel to the adoption of a motion, through a point of order, raised by Senator Dino Melaye, PDP, Kogi West, on the growing case of kidnapping along Abuja-Lokoja roads and other parts of the nation.
    Melaye recalled that the number of travelers that had been kidnapped in the last two weeks cant be quantified on that axis. He said eight, 11 and 18 people were recently kidnapped in September alone along that road.
    He explained that “In every part of the country, people are being kidnapped. Security agencies should secure roads across the country. Security agencies should protect the lives of every Nigerian. Something more aggressive must be done.”
    Minority leader of the Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, also expressed his frustration. He said he is out of new ideas on how to tackle the issue. He urged security agencies to come up with new ways to tackle the issue.
    “What do we need to do that we have not done. Maybe we need to do something abnormal. But what is that abnormal thing we need to do to solve this problem? Those of us with access to security still travel to Kaduna using the rail. We have abandoned the roads because of kidnapping.
    “All of a sudden, soldiers are not held by kidnappers. This is a serious issue and must be treated with every seriousness,” he said.
    Former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, revealed how kidnappers recently issued notices to some residents in his state in his state. He said the daredevil kidnappers issued a similar notice in a market in Gombe State.
    He said: “There is no issue disturbing Nigerians more than this issue. It used to be limited to some people. Today, nowhere is safe. Abuja is not safe anymore. They now kidnap in Asokoro.
    “Kidnappers went to the market in Gombe and had the guts to issue notices to people to either meet their demands or they will be kidnapped. Many villages were threatened and the university was almost closed down. They kidnap everyday and this is bad.”
    Worried by the growing menace, the Senate, has for the umpteenth time, called on security agencies to adopt a new approach that will address the growing trend.
    It called on security agencies to adopt new technologies to track activities of kidnappers and bandits carrying out attacks in different parts of the country.
    President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, while intervening, said a new radical approach must be adopted. He said while more funds should be allocated to tackle security concerns, he, however, insisted that the expenditure must be justified.
    “We need to do something differently. The way the security structure is designed, they can’t deliver. Our committees over sighting security agencies should take up this issue and follow it through. Kidnappers and bandits use telephone lines to negotiate. We will be a big more radical. We may give security agencies more funds. They need to give account.
    “We must insist that security agencies must not join the problem. Security agencies should stop dragging the train with us. Let them use the roads. It’s time for our security agencies to go technological. They can deploy drones,” Lawan said.
    It waa also revealed that there are plans to come up with an anti-kidnapping legislation which is expected to be domesticated in states.