THE House of Representatives on Tuesday said Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State published the security budget of the state, not his own security vote.
The Chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas, stated this at a news briefing in Abuja.
Namdas said el-Rufai was undermining and distracting the National Assembly by his claims that the N115 billion in the legislature’s 2016 budget was for the 469 members.
According to him, the budget covers among others salaries, allowances, expenditure and running cost of 469 members.
He said this will also cover salaries and allowances of about 3,000 legislative aides and salaries, allowances, equipment and maintenance of about 5,000 staff in the bureaucracy of the National Assembly.
He urged the governor to concentrate on governing Kaduna State, particularly addressing security issues facing the state.
Namdas said: “As a senior citizen, el-Rufai should not overheat the polity with tendentious and unfounded outbursts.
“We note that what Mallam el-Rufai published was the security budget of Kaduna State and not his security vote expenditure.
“We wish to advice the Kaduna State governor to concentrate on his efforts in governing Kaduna State and stop undermining and distracting the National Assembly in playing its constitutionally assigned role in nation building.
“He launched an attack on the National Assembly on Friday, April 7, 2017 and continued on Monday, April 10, 2017.
“We are aware that there are serious security issues he should be grappling with in southern Kaduna and other governmental issues facing him.”
According to Namdas, the National Assembly is not opaque and since the Constitution was amended in 2010, the legislature was put in a first line charge.
He said: “Its budget became part of statutory transfers, together with the Judiciary, Independent National Electoral Commission and others.
“You cannot find details of the Budget of the Judiciary and INEC in the national budget.
“It exists elsewhere.
“Of course from 1999 to 2010, the details of the National Assembly budget was contained in the national budget.”
Namdas said the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, was directed to start publishing the budget from 2017.
He said: “To continue to repeat the same call made three days earlier smacks of propaganda and cheap blackmail.
“The Kaduna State governor chose to give headings of its budget on security related matters.
“Maybe, he will give further details of actual security expenditures at the appropriate time.
“It is most uncharitable to ignore the fact that the National Assembly is an arm of government, not a department in the executive branch.
The budget of so many agencies in the executive is higher than that of the National Assembly, an arm of government.
“Such agencies are Nigerian Communications Commission, N102 billion; Central Bank of Nigeria, N421 billion; and the Nigerian Ports Authority, N250 billion.
“Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, N100 billion; Federal Inland Revenue Service, N146 billion; Nigerian Customs Services, N81 billion; and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, whose budget runs into trillions.
“Indeed, the National Assembly Budget is about two per cent of the national budget.”
Namdas added that the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, had directed that his six months’ pay slip, from October, 2016 to March, 2017, be published.
FORMER First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, on Monday visited the Maitama branch of Skye Bank Plc in Abuja with the aim of withdrawing from her controversial account containing $5.9 million.
This followed the unfreezing of the account by a Federal High Court in Lagos last week Thursday.
The court vacated its earlier order, which in 2016 froze the account.
The judgement was delivered by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun based on the allegation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that the money was a proceed of crime.
It was gathered that Dame Jonathan got to the bank at about 10am.
She was said to have met an Executive Director of the bank.
But by the time she was leaving at about 4:05pm, she could not withdraw from the account.
According to an insider in the bank, the account remained frozen because the EFCC had shortly after the judgement by Justice Olatoregun on Thursday filed an appeal and a stay of judgement at the Court of Appeal.
“You know banks are the most watched over institution in the country now.
“So we are being careful.
“Until the last is heard of the case, there is nothing anyone can do.
“But as a customer of the bank, Patience Jonathan has a right to visit any branch of the bank.
“The only challenge there is that she cannot withdraw from that account until the court takes a final decision or the EFCC withdraws the pending appeal and stay of execution on the Federal High Court judgement,” a source in the bank said.
STEPHANIE Otobo, the canadian-based musician who accused the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, of impregnating and abandoning her, has released bank statements to back her claim.
Otobo who released the details in an exclusive interview she granted Worship Media, a Toronto-based media outlet, also disclosed details of reports from doctors from various hospitals were series of tests were carried out on her.
The statement released by Otobo showed three fund transfers to her allegedly initiated by Suleman.
The statement, showed that Suleman transferred N900,000 to Otobo on July 22, 2015; N200,000 on September 2, 2015; and N1 million on September 14, 2015.
The interview which has two parts has Otobo in the first part of it explaining in details how she met the cleric. She proceeded in the second part by producing evidences to buttress her point.
Apostle Suleman, as he is always called, has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Stephanie Otobo and Sahara Reporters (An online news medium which first published about the scandal) for defaming his character and image to the tune of N1billion.
THE Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of harassing members of the upper legislative chamber for the non-confirmation of the Acting boss of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, as substantive Chairman.
Nwaoboshi noted that harassing him and other members would not stop his alignment with the position of the Senate as a body, or from speaking the truth.
He said these on Friday while reacting to media reports that he was being investigated, alongside his brother, Augustine, for supplying used equipment for a N1.5 billion contract with Delta State Ministry of Works, in 2010, and for not declaring certain properties in his asset declaration forms with the Code of Conduct Bureau.
The reports, in two dailies also alleged that Nwaoboshi’s BVN number had been linked to 20 bank accounts, to which his brother was signatory.
Nwaoboshi berated the commission for its indulgence in media trials instead of carrying out thorough investigations.
He admitted that Bilderberg Enterprises Ltd, where he was a Director at the time, bidded for the contract and won.
“We brought the equipment from manufacturers in China. Sino Truck, XEMG, Sanya, the companies we bought from all have offices in Nigeria, why can’t the EFCC contact them, or even contact their offices in China, provide the serial numbers of each equipment, and ask if we bought used or brand new? They can check shipping documents, etc,” he said.
The Senator added that all relevant agencies in the state certified the equipment as brand new.
“What they did not add was that I was not in government at the time. I was a businessman. I was a Director in the company at the time of the contract. This was long before I came to the Senate. As I speak, nobody has invited me.
“This is why we are saying the EFCC should be overhauled. Yesterday it was the Senate President and Dino (Melaye), now they have been cleared. Today it is me, because I spoke up, and said the power of confirmation lies with us as a Senate. In America, nominees of the President are being rejected, and heaven did not fall down,” Nwaoboshi added.
He also queried the interest of the EFCC in his asset declaration forms when the CCB has not faulted his submission.
“You prosecute people in the press, bring them down. Even without interrogating us, they have already found us guilty. That is the EFCC of Nigeria. Without conceding that it is true, is there any law that stops my brother’s company from having 20 accounts? He has been a businessman for years. And they said my BVN is linked to the accounts, but he is the signatory; let the bankers respond to that,” he added.
The Senator however welcomed the establishing of the Executive-Senate reconciliation committee, and expressed faith in the ability of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who heads the committee, to resolve the face off.
“You do not intimidate people in a democracy to get what you want, you lobby,” he added.
AS the brow continues in the senate house, Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, has assured Ali Ndume, his Borno south counterpart, that Senate President Bukola Saraki will reduce his punishment if he tenders an apology.
The upper legislative chamber suspended Ndume for six months based on the recommendation of its ethics and privileges committee.
The committee made the recommendation after clearing Saraki and Melaye of allegations brought against them.
Ndume had moved a motion for his colleagues to be probed, arguing that the reputation of the senate was at stake based on allegations levelled against them.
While Saraki was accused of harassing Hameed Ali, comptroller-general of customs, because the agency seized a vehicle belonging to him, Melaye was said to have forged the certificate of his bachelors degree from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
Both men denied the allegations, describing them as the handiwork of their detractors.
Speaking on Friday when he appeared as a guest on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, Melaye said Ndume was not a victim of witch-hunt.
“Senator Ndume is an experienced legislator, having been in the house of representatives for two terms, and this being his second term in the senate,” he said.
“I didn’t prophecy that he would be suspended, or did Bukola Saraki, who was wrongly accused. We are not the ones who make up the senate. Ndume should understand the workings of the national assembly. The senate is made up of 109 members.
“So, the decision to suspend Ndume was not that of Saraki or myself, but the decision of the Nigerian senate after investigation by the relevant committees… We have a very responsible senate president, a very compassionate Nigerian who does not believe in witch-hunting.
“Already, there is a lot of pressure, and people are appealing to the person of Bukola Saraki, and I can say on good authority that if Saraki had presided over Ndume’s case, he may not have been suspended because the senate president is a compassionate character. So, if Ndume shows remorse, apologise to the senate, the Bukola Saraki that I know will persuade members to either reduce his punishment or forgive him.”
He also disagreed with those who said Ndume was not given fair hearing.
“The senate has the capacity to suspend any erring senator, but what we are saying here is very clear, due process was followed,” he said.
“Ali Ndume was given fair hearing. He appeared before the committee, he defended himself before the committee gave that recommendation, which was ratified by the entire senate.”
Melaye deliberately avoided questions on his claim of obtaining a degree from Harvard degree, but chose to speak on other issues relating to it.
“Even a mechanic or a plumber who undergoes apprenticeship is given a certificate… he graduates from his training,” he said.
“Anyone who attends a particular institution and is given a certificate that he attended the programme, whether it is diploma, a degree or PhD, as long as you have been given a certificate, you are a graduate of that institution because you carry a certificate of that institution.
“I am not going to be distracted.”
On the outrage of the public over the decision to suspend Ndume, Melaye said lawyers and public commentators who have been “blabbing and attacking the senate” cannot influence decisions taken by the senate.
“What the lawyers and many others who have been insulting and assaulting the senate fail to understand is that they are not senators,” he said.
“They are not part of our decision making. They do not know the debates that led to resolutions and opinions of the senate.
“So, they can only blab from outside… Unfortunately, they cannot influence or destroy whatever we have done. If they want to understand how resolutions are reached or understand the workings of the senate, they would have to contest election and come into the senate. Some have been speaking from the point of ignorance.”
PRESIDENT Muhammadu BUhari has sacked the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Muhammed Sani-Sidi.
A replacement was immediately announced for him.
This information and appointment of executive management for some other Federal Government agencies and parastatals were contained in a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, on Friday.
Adesina said Sani-Sidi is to be replaced by Engineer Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja.
According to available information, Sani-Sidi’s tenure should have ended in 2018.
The NEMA Board is now to be chaired by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN).
Other members of the NEMA Board are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr. David Babachir Lawal; Captain Talba Alkali, representing Ministry of Transport and Aviation; Ambassador Rabiu Dagari, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Ngozi Azadoh, Ministry of Health; Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, Ministry of Interior; Engr. Ajisegiri Benson Akinloye, Ministry of Water Resources; Air Vice Marshal Emmanuel Anebi, Nigerian Armed Forces; and Assistant Inspector General of Police Salisu Fagge Abdullahi, Nigerian Police Force.
Buhari also approved appointments into the executive management of some government agencies and parastatals.
The new chairman of the board of the Nigerian Television Authority is former newspaper editor and ex-presidential spokesman, Chief Duro Onabule.
Other executive directors of the NTA include: Dr. Steve Egbo, Administration and Training; Abdul Hamid Salihu Dembos, Marketing; Mohammed Labbo, News; Fatima M. Barda, Finance; Stephen Okoanachi, Engineering; and Wole Coker, Programmes.
At the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Aliyu Hayatu is the new chairman, while Buhari Auwalu and Yinka Amosun, are Zonal Directors for Kaduna and Lagos respectively.
Under the Ministry of Information and Culture, the Nigerian Film Corporation has Dr. Chika Maduekwe as General Manager; National Theatre and National Troupe of Nigeria, Comrade Tar Ukoh, Artistic Director; National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Director-General; and National Film and Video Censors Board, Folorunsho Coker, Director-General.
MORE facts are emerging on what transpired behind the scene in the process leading to the suspension of a former Leader of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, for six months.
Ndume was suspended on Wednesday based on the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which accused him of not doing due diligence on two issues he presented during plenary last week.
The two issues were Ndume’s call for the probe of a report that the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, bought a Range Rover Jeep for N298 million, which was seized by the Nigeria Customs Service for failure to pay Customs duties; and the alleged certificate scandal that rocked Senator Dino Melaye.
Available facts showed that of the 13-member committee, only seven signed the report, with six of them being members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The only senator elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress who signed the report was Tayo Alasoadura.
Not even the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Bala Na’Allah, signed the report.
Ndume was elected on the platform of the APC.
Senators elected on the platform of the PDP who signed the report were Samuel Anyanwu (Chairman), Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi), Jeremiah Useni (Plateau), Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta), Matthew Urhoghide (Edo), Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia).
Apart from Na’allah, APC senators who did not sign the report were Omogunwa Yele, Muhammed Shittu, Ovie Omo-Agege and Binta Garba.
This invariably meant no senator of Northern origin signed the report.
Sources within the National Assembly said the fact that mainly PDP senators signed the report has further leant credence to the fact that Saraki, who was elected on the platform of the APC, is a member of the PDP in spirit and using the senators to achieve his aim.
There have been several reports indicating that Saraki belongs more to the PDP than the APC.
This is more so in his several face-offs, especially with the Presidency and the leadership of the APC, where he has received more of the backing of PDP senators.
More so, some members of the Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the manner and speed with which the report was submitted and adopted was suspicious.
According to them, while the committee was given four weeks to submit the report, it did so within one week.
Apart from this, the committee also did not give room for the Nigeria Customs Service to give evidence before the report was written.
Yet, it was learnt that the NCS was slated, based on the programme of the committee, to appear to give its own side of the story.
A member of the committee said the usual practice is to give enough room for any one summoned to appear even if he or she did not do so on the appointed date.
The member said not giving such opportunity to the NCS, which the senator said no one was even aware was invited, leaves a lot of room for suspicion.
Apart from that, the members of the committee said the manner the report was adopted during a plenary chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who was elected on the platform of the PDP, also says a lot.
The Committee, in its conclusion, wrote in the report: “After carefully examining the documents available and hearing out the matter, the Committee observed as follows:
“1. That the name of the Senate President, Senator Dr. Bukola Saraki was not mentioned anywhere in the Bill of lading or any document whatsoever connected with the importation or purchase of the SUV Range Rover vehicle;
“2. That he did not import any SUV Range Rover as corroborated by all respondents;
“3. That this story was cooked up with intent to embarrass the Senate President, the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly;
“4. That the complainant did not conduct due diligence before bringing the matter to the floor of the Senate;
“5. That as a former Senate Leader and a ranking Senator, he was expected to have weighed the consequences, of the allegation,_ carefully investigated it before presenting it;
“6. That Senator Dino Melaye obtained a first degree in Geography from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and
“7. That having failed to cross-check facts before presentation at plenary, he could not be said to be a patriotic representative of the Senate, and should be penalized to serve as deterrent to others.”
The Committee thus recommended:“After due consideration of the matter as revealed by different parties to the case, the Committee recommends as follows:
“1. That the Senate do suspend Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume for bringing Senator Dino Melaye, his colleague, and the institution of the Senate to unbearable disrepute at this time of our National life when caution, patriotism, careful consideration and due diligence should be our watchwords.
“2. The suspension is with effect from today (28th March, 2017) to last for 6 months.
“Conclusion Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, on behalf of the Committee.”
Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary, said great lessons had been learnt based on the outcome of the issue.
He said: “We should investigate matter before we allege them.”
Ekweremadu equally commended the committee for a thorough investigation within the given time frame.
He said: “We look forward to a more united Senate.
“We should work for the betterment of the Senate.”
THE Chairman of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has alleged that the South-South and South-East geo-political zones were not accomodated in the 2017 national budget.
Consequently, he has recommended that a six-member expert committee be set up to, immediately, examine the 2017 budget before it is passed into law by the National Assembly.
Addressing PANDEF General Assembly in Uyo, yesterday, Clark, who condemned what he described as the seeming lopsidedness of the 2017 budget and some recent budgets against the Niger Delta region, said: “For some time now, since the creation of the interventionist agencies for the Niger Delta region such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and the Ministry of Niger Delta, I think there has been a deliberate attempt to shortchange the region.
“There does not seem to be any significant allocation in the national budget in any of the sectors in the area. In most cases, what is voted for one major infrastructural project in the other regions is far more than the entire budget for one of the interventionist agencies in the Niger Delta.
“For instance, this year, the total budget for the Niger Delta, including salaries, wages and projects is N33 billion, out of which N6.55 billion is for the completion of the East-West Road.
“This amount is just about 61 percent of the N54.2 billion allocated to the Lagos State by only one ministry, the Ministry of Works.
“As a matter of fact, the amount allocated to Lagos State Government by the Federal Ministry of Works is more than that allocated to the South-East and South-South geo-political zones which comprises 11 states which got N52.8 billion.
“This is worrisome. I am, therefore, recommending that an expert committee, not more than six persons should be set up to examine the present budget before it is passed into law.”
He. however. appealed to the Federal Government to re-visit some appointments made earlier by President Muhammadu Buhari, and said such lopsided appointments are “detrimental and unfavourable to the people of Niger Delta as well as in the interest of national unity and peace in the region.”
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, who described the Niger Delta as the economic live-wire of the country, regretted the lackadaisical approach of his fellow governors in the region in addressing issues of the area; but said he would not relent in his effort in ensuring that his colleagues see reasons to shelve their political sentiments and come together to build a better region.
Commending the effort of the federal government in solving the problems of the area, Udom said he does not see reason why an oil and gas-producing region would lack power and even a refinery.
“With the challenges we have as a people, today, we need to speak with one voice.
“Those of us from this region are in the right position to say what hurt us. I think and I believe that all governors from the Niger Delta region will be at the fore front.
“We will not relent in talking to our colleagues, on the need for us to come together, for the benefit of the region."
A former governor of the state and co-chairman of PANDEF, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, urged the people of the region to find new ways to make known their concerns, saying dialogue was a better means of airing their views as opposed to radicalism. He, however, expressed his gratitude to the federal government, which he opined, had positively changed its attitude towards the region.
“Since when we met the president, we have seen tremendous change in their attitude. We can see that the East-West Road has been done to an extent but let us not forget that the road that leads from Oron to Calabar has still not been done,” he stated.
THE Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Itse Sagay, has fired blistering remarks at Nigerian Senators after they summoned him for reportedly describing the Senate as ‘childish and irresponsible’ and one ‘filled by people of questionable character’.
The Senate, Tuesday, suspended the confirmation process for two weeks within which they demanded Mr. Magu’s sack.
But Mr. Sagay was reported by Punch on Wednesday to have said: “That action is childish and irresponsible. Do they think Buhari is a man that can easily be threatened? My God! How can people of such character occupy the highest legislative office in the country? Nigeria is finished.
“It is a great mistake and they will regret it.”
The Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Na’Allah, on Wednesday read Mr. Sagay’s comment to his colleagues who subsequently resolved to summon the senior lawyer to appear before the committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions to explain his statement.
In reaction to the Senate’s decision to summon him, Mr. Sagay said the upper chamber's resolution was unconstitutional.
“They ought to know that I do not come within the category of persons they can summon,” said Mr. Sagay.
“I would advise them to tell their lawyers to check the Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution. Through that, they will know I don’t come within that category.”
“They don’t have authority to summon me. I am outside the group of persons they can summon. I am not a civil servant, I don’t belong to any commission or any…”
The parts of the Constitution cited by Mr. Sagay empowers the Senate or House of Representatives to direct investigation into the conduct of affairs of ‘any person, authority, ministry or government department charged, or intended to be charged, with the duty of or responsibility for executing or administering laws enacted by the National Assembly.’
Then, the law further provides that such shall only be exercised by the National Assembly for the purpose of making laws ‘within its legislative competence’; amending laws; and exposing “corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated for it.”
Section 89 establishes ways by which the National Assembly can enforce Section 88 paraphrased above.
Asked if his work as the chairman of the presidential anti-graft committee does not fall within the category mentioned in the Section 88 of the Constitution, Mr. Sagay who was quoted by Premium Times said, “That’s why I said they should look at the Constitution. My work comes totally outside of their power.
“I’m not going to give those details now; but if they are foolish enough to insist on my coming, at the appropriate time and at appropriate venue, all the details will come out
“But now let me just make general statement: they have no power or authority to summon me. Period!”
MORE confusion has set into the controversy trailing the purchase of a Range Rover by the Senate.
Apart from the fact that the Senate said it paid $298,000 for the Jeep, which it said was a far cry from the N298 million initially quoted by the media, two statements by the Senate on Tuesday introduced more inaccuracies into the controversy.
The first was the period the Senate decided to buy the Jeep.
A statement on Tuesday by the spokesman of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the Jeep was paid for in November 2015.
However, the importer of the vehicle said it was consigned to his company in October 2016 after the person who ordered for the vehicle, Wale Tinubu of Oando, declined interest.
The CEO of Lanre Shittu Motors, Lanre Shittu, explained to the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges on Monday that the SUV was consigned to his company in October 2016 by Tinubu because he was not able to use it for the purpose for which it was imported, hence he approached them to sell the vehicle.
The second inaccuracy in the statement by Abdullahi was the foreign exchange rate at the time the Senate paid for the Jeep in 2015.
Abdullahi put the exchange rate at N165/$1.
However, checks on both the website of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Pound Sterling Live showed that both the official and unofficial rates hovered between N197 and N199.
So while Abdullahi categorically said the Senate paid N62.5 million for the vehicle in November 2015, the cost would have been higher even at the prevailing rate then.
Added to this was another statement from the office of the President of the Senate, which quoted a price range that introduced a gap of N4.5 million.
The explanation, offered by the SLA Communications & Strategy in the Office of the Senate President, Olu Onemola, put the cost of the Jeep at between N58 million and N62 million based on the exchange rate then, which was not disclosed in the statement.
The statement by Abdullahi reads in full: “Our attention has been drawn to the various false and mischievous reports in the media about the price of the vehicle which the Senate was said to have bought as part of its convoy but was later abandoned when it got impounded by the Customs over controversy surrounding import duty payment.
“The correct price of the vehicle when it was imported in 2015 is $298,000 which at the prevailing rate of N165 to a dollar is about N49,170.
“The Senate paid N62.5m for the vehicle in November 2015. This is contrary to the mischief by those who decided to turn the $298,000 to N298 million as the price of the vehicle. “For the avoidance of doubt, the price the Senate paid for that vehicle is N62.5m and not N298 million.
“The Senate will appreciate it if all reports relating to the legislative institution, particularly on this vehicle matter, are reported with accuracy and all facts put in proper perspective.
“We urge journalists to avoid sensationalism. The Senate is a responsible institution and those who believe that when they have issues to explain before it, the next thing to do is to resort to falsehood, blackmail, muck-raking and mud-slinging, should know that they are just overheating the polity and undermining our democratic institution.
“Finally, the Senate wish to reiterate our total commitment to upholding the rule of law and to work for Nigerians, in accordance with our constitution.”
The one by Onemola said: “Several news publications, both print and online, have wrongly reported that the Range Rover Bullet Proof SUV vehicle at the center of the import duty waiver story is worth N298 million.
“Please note, the value of the car as specified by all related documents is $298,000, which makes it in the range of N58million to N62million (based on 2015 exchange rates). This makes the inaccurate figure N240million over the actual value of the car.”
THE Senate appears set for a showdown with the Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali, after lawmakers rejected Mr. Ali’s plan not to appear before them on Wednesday.
Mr. Ali had earlier on Tuesday informed the Senate that he would not appear as scheduled as he had the Customs management meeting already slated for the same Wednesday.
The Senate wants him to explain the Customs’ planned clampdown on vehicles that have no duty clearance.
But senators rejected his excuse, with Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan saying it was not acceptable.
“The integrity of the Senate is being tested,” said James Manager, PDP-Delta, who also picked hole in the way the letter was addressed.
Premium Times reports that Members approved a vote called by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to reject Mr. Ali’s letter, and therefore mandated him “to appear in uniform tomorrow (Wednesday as scheduled) by 10:30 AM“.
The Senate summoned Mr. Ali over Customs’ plan to impound vehicles that have no import duty clearance. It specifically asked him to a ppear in uniform.
But on Friday, Mr. Ali defended
the plan, and said he was only going to honour the Senate’s summon if the invitation.
“I was not appointed Comptroller General to wear uniform,” he said.
Mr. Ali, a retired colonel, was appointed Customs chief in 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari, becoming the second to be so appointed from outside the service.
Under former military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, Bello Haliru was also appointed head of Customs from outside the service.
Politics › El-Rufai Published State Security Budget, Not His Security Vote"– Reps Spokesman by deantimes(op): 5:49am On Apr 12, 2017
