₦airaland Forum

I will be at the Tribunal Tomorrow, Tuesday @Bukolasaraki
The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki will appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal tomorrow Tuesday 22nd of September 2015.
While the Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, had stated and maintained that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, he also believes that he has an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protection when he feels his fundamental rights are about to be infringed upon.
The Senate President is a law abiding citizen and his absence from tribunal was based on legal advice he received from his counsel that it is not necessary for him to appear before the tribunal at this stage since the jurisdiction of the tribunal and the process of initiating the matter are being challenged before the federal High Court Abuja.
Following the adjournment for the determination of the motion on notice and the substantive suit before the Federal High Court to 30th of September and the appeal pending before the Court of Appeal adjourned to the 29th of September 2015, the Senate President has decided, as a law abiding citizen, to appear before the Tribunal in the interim.
Dr. Saraki has taken the decision to attend the Tribunal sitting to demonstrate his respect for the rule of law in spite of his personal reservation on the process of his trial and the purpose it may be intended to serve.
Dr. Saraki wishes to assure Nigerians of his absolute belief in the judicial process and is therefore confident that the course of justice would be served at the end of this matter.

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Saraki’s Case: The Real Inside Story

By Bashir Akanbi, Lagos Nigeria
20th September, 2015

 

“… Taxpayers funds are being wasted on trying to remove a perceived political ‘non-conformist’ like Saraki by hook or by crook - without adherence to the book (i.e. the Nigerian Constitution).” – Bashir Akanbi

 

Over the past few days, the Nigerian polity has been heated up by media reports about the moves of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), to arrest the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, for failure to show up for his arraignment on charges that emanate from his 2003 asset declaration form. Although the news reports have trickled in from every news agency in the country, there is an inside story that nobody is talking about. This is that inside story.

 

It is very unfortunate that politics in Nigeria's today can widely be described as an unholy game of personality defamation, political infighting and heavy media onslaughts on perceived political obstructers. This is the primary reason why many politicians have controlling interests in many Nigerian media houses.

 

For example, Bola Ahmed Tinubu owns The Nation newspaper. He also owns a controlling interest in The Punch, and has been rumored to be the primary funder of Omoyele Sowore’s Sahara TV station – a subsidiary of Sahara Reporters. Additionally, Tinubu is the owner of TV Continental (TVC). It is for this reason, that since Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s emergence as Senate President, and Tinubu’s vow not to recognize his emergence, that The Nation, The Punch, and Sahara Reporters have gone on coordinated onslaughts against the Senate President.

 

Over the past two months, Sahara Reporters and The Nation have gone as far as publishing a fake copy of Saraki’s passport in an effort to disparage him. The Nation has also been skewing the news to make their reader’s believe that there has been turmoil in the Upper Legislative Chambers. While The Punch, has served as a reinforce of The Nation’s news, publishing op-eds from virtual unknowns (perhaps writers writing under pseudonyms) that are aimed at tarnishing Saraki’s reputation amongst the populace. It goes without saying that the power of the media is the power over the masses.

Needless to say, this development is unhealthy for Nigeria’s democracy. Given the fact that the news can be skewed, twisted and colored as a politician wants, doesn’t this mean that the news that Nigerian have been receiving from Sahara Reporters, The Punch, and The Nation are not infact news, but “Tall Tales According to Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” It is a pity that these Tinubu-tales are now bestsellers, however, many Nigerians are beginning to wake up and realize that not all that you read or hear in many of these newspapers is the truth.

 

What is equally disturbing, and must be checked at once in the best interest of Nigeria’s democracy, and in order to ensure that certain individuals do not have undue influence over the matters of our national affairs is the fact that TVC, The Nation, The Punch, and Sahara Reporters have been shown to be collaborating with anti-Saraki forces in the government to bring him to public ridicule. For example, on Wednesday, the story that Saraki had a case to answer with the Code of Conduct Bureau broke first on Sahara Reporters on the evening of Tuesday, September 16th. Immediately, The Nation and Punch followed suit. This was in spite of the fact that by the next day, the individual that the case was about, Dr. Saraki, had not even been served with the court papers and processes. How did they find out a full 24 hours before the defendant was served? Surely, there must be some “snitches” in the on a vendetta mission that are colluding with these news organizations.

If the aforementioned point is not strong enough, then ask yourself: “How did Sahara Reporters get access to the charge sheet against Saraki when Saraki had not yet been served?”

 

Nigerians are not foolish. What is happening right now, is comparable to what the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did to Aminu Tambuwal after his emergence as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, without his party’s support. What is happening now, is that the APC, Buhari, and Tinubu, are working overtime to attempt to remove Saraki at all costs. This is even more apparent when you look at the timing of everything. Buhari promised that his ministerial list would be out by September, however, the list is not yet out.

 

I spoke to a South Eastern Senator yesterday, who told me that Saraki’s current plight is rudimentary politics. He explained that Buhari is clearly trying to make Saraki either resign, or accept his nominees for Ministers without a proper vetting process. Nigerians have noticed that nominees like Babatunde Fowler, who was appointed to head the Federal Inland Revenue Service on Tinubu’s recommendation, has started work, despite needing to be confirmed by the Senate. At the end of the day, it is clear that the former dictator turned converted democrat, is trying to convert the principles of democracy to suit his unholy alliance with his friend from the South West.

Many Senators believe that if Saraki is removed, then it will turn the Upper Legislative Chambers upside down because Ahmed Lawan, the candidate favoured by both Tinubu and Buhari, is not even accepted by the Senators in his own zone, as Ali Ndume, the current Senate Majority Leader, beat him handily to emerge as the Number 3 Officer in the Senate. Additionally, if Saraki is forced out, with 49 PDP Senators, and 58 APC Senators, the APC clearly does not have the numbers that are needed to impeach the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who is from the PDP. This could leave the Senate in the hands of the PDP.

 

Finally, as Buhari is a democratically elected President not a military-installed dictator, in as much as he wants to see ‘alleged looters’ punished, he has to follow due process. The prosecution of Saraki in the CCT is a huge joke because certain procedures were clearly not followed. When the whole legal case of the Federal Government crumbles based on non-adherence to Section 3 (subsection 2 and 3) of the Act that establishes both the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Nigerians will see that the Federal Government is being rash and vindictive, as opposed to careful and calculating. Ultimately, taxpayers funds are being wasted on trying to remove a perceived political ‘non-conformist’ like Saraki by hook or by crook - without adherence to the book (i.e. the Nigerian Constitution).

Our Nation Has Lost A Pre-eminent mother - Saraki

I have been enthusiastically looking forward to making a big but surprise visit to Ikenne, Ogun State to be part of the Centenary birthday celebration of Mama H.I. D. Awolowo, knowing that she is the last woman standing among the wives and mothers who truly contributed by supporting their spouses in laying the foundation for our nation building. To think that she will not be there during the period of the celebration, which is just about two months away, makes me sad, in spite of her ripe age filled with achievements.
Mama Awolowo truly distinguished herself among her contemporaries and not only because she lived longer but because she served God and humanity to the end. Even as a nonagenarian, she kept on hosting different fora and contributing to ideas on the unity of the Yoruba people in particular and Nigeria in general. She was an epitome of a good wife and mother and I have no doubt that as she reunites with her darling Husband, Pa Obafemi Awolowo, she would have good account to give of how far she had held forte in the absence of the late sage.

On behalf of my family and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, i commiserate with the Awolowo family, the government and people of Ogun State and Nigeria in general on the death of this of this great woman. They should all take solace in the fact that Mama lived a good life. May her soul rest in peace.

Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON.

ALERT: The fraudulent “Judge” who is after Saraki, uncovered

The last two days in Nigerian politics, have seen the very quick escalation of the alleged cases of corruption leveled against Senate President Bukola Saraki.

The move is being championed by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, who prefers to be fraudulently referred to as “Justice”, a move that has long irked the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the Judicial Council of Nigeria.

Umar is on administrative bail from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which arraigned him on cases of corruption, bordering on receiving bribes from suspects, highhandedness towards his staff, and gross nepotism.

The Cases with EFCC

Bribery

The EFCC, on Monday, July 6, 2015 arraigned a certain Ali Gambo Abdullahi, a staff of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Abuja, and personal assistant to the Chairman, before Justice C. N Orji of the FCT High Court sitting in Apo, on a 2-count charge bordering on conspiracy, bribery and abuse of office.

Abdullahi’s arrest and subsequent arraignment followed a petition from one Rasheed O. Taiwo, who claimed he paid a bribe of N1.8million to Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Abuja through the accused.

Taiwo alleged that, Umar who claimed to be presiding over a case in which he was involved, demanded a N10 million bribe as “settlement”, to clear him of all charges.

The petitioner further alleged that, after several negotiations, he paid N1.8 million as initial deposit, into the account of Ali Gambo Abdulllahi, in a new generation bank.

Count one reads:

“That you, Ali Gambo Abdullahi, sometime in August, 2013 at Abuja, within the judicial division of this Honourable Court did make a statement to one ABULMAJID IBRAHIM (A detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) while in the course of the exercise of the duty of his office that the sum of One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (1, 800,000.00) paid into your Zenith account number 1002849471 on 12th December, 2012 by one Rasheed Owolabi was a payment made to assist you settle your father’s medical bill which statement you knew to be untrue and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 39 (2) (A) of the Economic and Financial Crimes act, 2004 and punishable under Section 39 (2) (B) of the same Act.”

The case was adjourned to October 21 and 22, 2015 for commencement of trial.

Nepotism and highhandedness

The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission, EFCC on April 1, 2014, grilled the embattled Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Umar for six hours before he was later released on administrative bail.

The commission, acting on petitions from aggrieved staff of the CCT, contractors and top public officials, summoned the chairman and some of his top officials to appear before its operatives for interrogation or be declared wanted.

Umar’s summon, which was then the second in two months, was a reflection of the pressure heaped on the anti-graft body by aggrieved staff of the tribunal.

The CCT was established in 1979 with the primary responsibility of adjudicating and ensuring the highest standard of public morality, transparency and accountability among public servants in the conduct of government business.

The embattled Danladi was engaged in a cat and mouse game with the EFCC and its operatives on the suspicion that he could be detained in connection with the allegations that he could not account for hundreds of millions of Naira meant for staff of the CCT.

Danladi had forcefully redeployed several staff under him in Abuja, to states, without due process and yet failed to inform the board of the tribunal of his actions and why they were warranted, forcing the staff to seeking redress at the EFCC.

Case With Chief Justice of The Federation

On May 18 2015, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council of Nigeria, had written a stern letter to Umar, cautioning him on the illegality of referring to himself, or being referred to as “Justice.”

In the letter titled “RE: Chairman and members of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Complaints and Observations: Addressing themselves or being addressed as Justice,” the CJN did not mince words in educating the chairman of the limits to his powers as enshrined in the constitution, and how wrongly he was using the “Justice” title.

Justice Mohammed noted that the National Judicial Council had observed that Umar and other members of the Tribunal, erroneously addressed themselves as justice.

The matter which was deliberated upon by the Council on December 10 2014, resolved to caution the tribunal members to desist from using the title.

The constitution, in establishing the CCT, made it clear that the chairman would be one who was indeed qualified to hold office as a judge of a superior court of record (a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases).

In section 318 (1), the constitution states that no member of the tribunal, not even the chairman, on appointment, is a judicial officer, unless he or she has been a judge of a superior court of record in Nigeria.

Also, only justices, judges and Kalis of superior courts of record are judicial officers, and only Judges and Justices were mandated by the constitution to be addressed and address themselves as “Justice.”

The CJN went on to mandate that Danladi and members guilty of the act, desist with immediate effect.

However, despite the warning, Umar is not on record to have refused the title.

With the numerous cases hanging over his head, it remains a huge concern to members of the public, the motive behind Danladi’s intense enthusiasm to prosecute the Senate President, on yet to be substantiated claims of fraudulent declaration of assets.

Saraki's Trial: Code of Conduct Bureau is inferior Court - Agbokoba‎
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Former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Chief Olisa Agbakoba has said the CCT was wrong to say that it was a court of equal jurisdiction with the Federal High Court.


“There are two kinds of courts in Nigeria, superior and inferior. All the superior courts are defined in Section 6 of the constitution; it does not include the Code of Conduct Bureau, it does not include the National Industrial court,” Agbakoba said.


According to him, “The Code of Conduct Bureau is not a superior court; it is an inferior court and because it is an inferior court, it is amenable to the judicial review jurisdiction of a superior court of record like the Federal High Court.”‎


The Federal High Court, he said had power to review the judicial work of the Code of Conduct Bureau because it is an inferior court.

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Also reacting, Ebun Adegboruwa described the Tribunal’s action as an assault on rule of law. “What the Code of Conduct Tribunal did in spite of the order of the High Court amounts to judicial abuse of the due process of the rule of law and amounts to judicial rascality on the part of the serving judge of Code of Conduct Tribunal.”


Adegboruwa said the Tribunal was under the supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court, adding that the option left for the Tribunal was to approach the court that gave the order to either challenge it or vacate it.


He said, “It will amount to total anarchy for the parties affected by an order to decide whether or not to obey the order. So, to that extent, the bench warrant issued against the Senate President is ultra vires, it has no place in law and cannot be enforced, because if the order of the High Court to the tribunal was not enforced also the bench warrant of the tribunal to the Senate President cannot be enforced. You cannot use wrong to achieve a right.”

CCT Defiance of Subsisting Court Order : Our Stand
Following the development in the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) today, Friday, September 18, 2015 when the Tribunal chose to ignore the subsisting order of a Federal High Court by sitting, we hereby state our position as follows:
1. While the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, had stated and maintains that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, he also believes he has an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protection when he feels his fundamental rights are about to be infringed upon.
2. It is for this reason that Dr. Saraki, having satisfied himself that the case filed by the CCB and the manner in which the case was filed show that he will not be given justice, resorted to the Federal High Court for the determination of the issues of competence of the prosecutor as well as compliance with the procedure stipulated in the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
3. The Federal High Court on Thursday, September 17, 2015, therefore ordered that the all parties in the case should appear before it on Monday, September 21, 2015. The implication of this ruling by a Court of competent jurisdiction is that the sitting today has been overtaken by event. It is for this reason that Dr. Saraki chose to go about with his normal official schedule.
4. Today at the Tribunal, Counsel to the Senate President, Mr. M. A. Mahmud (SAN), raised a motion stating that there is a pending constitutional matter before the Federal High Court to be decided on Monday and that the Tribunal should hold the trial until the constitutional matter is disposed of.
5. We are however dismayed that the Tribunal chose to disregard the order of the Federal High Court and the motion to suspend hearing till Monday when all parties are expected to argue their positions on the constitutional matter.
6. It is also a surprise to us that despite the application by the lead counsel to the Senate President that he will produce Dr. Saraki on Monday and the personality of the person involved as the Number three man in the country, the Tribunal insisted on issuing a warrant of arrest as if its intention is simply to embarrass Dr. Saraki. We are not unmindful of the fact that the Tribunal is acting under political influence and external pressure. This is dangerous to our democracy.
7. The conduct of the Tribunal today left nobody in doubt that it cannot do justice on the matter before it. It is also clear that today's decision is an abuse of the rule of law which portends danger to our judicial system. The Tribunal has equally set a bad precedent in the way and manner it conducted itself during the proceedings.
8. We want to emphasise the fact that this is not part of any war against corruption but using state institutions to fight political opponents and seeking to achieve through the back door what some people cannot get through democratic process.
9. We need to caution here that in a desperate bid to settle political scores and nail imaginary enemies, we should not destroy our democratic institutions and heat the polity for selfish reasons. Let us all learn from history.
9. The Senate President is a law abiding citizen who will not do anything to undermine the judicial process and authority. However, Dr. Saraki will always act to protect his fundamental human rights.
End
Signed
Yusuph Olaniyonu
Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President.

SARAKI DRAGGED BEFORE AN INCOMPETENT COURT ON A 13-COUNT CHARGE
Source: Gongnews
By Agency Reporter
Thursday September 16, 2015
 
*On false declaration of assets plus four other criminal issues
*Judge not competent to try him. Details revealed
By Olajide Fashikun

Senate President and the nation’s number three man, DR ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI, is going to test the ambit of the Rule of Law under the Muhammadu Buhari administration which has dragged him vide the Code of Conduct Bureau on a 13-count charge before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

The charges were filed in the court on the 11th September 2015 by the Deputy Director in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) M.S Hassan. It has suit number CCT/ABJ/01/15.

Among other charges, SARAKI was accused of making false declaration of assets on assumption of office as Kwara State governor in 2003.

SARAKI was also accused of not declaring some assets he acquired while in office from 2003 to 2011, acquiring assets beyond his official earnings and operating foreign accounts in contravention of the law as a public officer.

SARAKI may be tried by a judge who is having loads of corruption allegations hanging on his own neck and beyond that, there are allegations that he is not medically fit to try the former Kwara state governor who is the chairman of the National Assembly. No date has been fixed yet for the beginning of the trial of the nation’s top most parliamentarian.

SARAKI, according to Ministry of Justice sources may be having about five criminal matters to answer. It would be recalled that www.gongnews.net had reported how the Justice ministry had requested from the Inspector general of Police to forward all criminal matters investigated concerning SARAKI to them. “The matters have been consolidated. He may be facing several criminal issues which are not related but needs to be cleared in the different four other courts.”

Justice Danladi Yakubu Umar who is the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal is classified as “above the law” for refusing to appear before anti-corruption agencies. He was later to appear before the EFCC but none of the agencies have filed any issue before any competent court of law.

In addition, there are further allegation that he is not medically fit to sit over judicial issues. At personal levels, he is accused of being a chronic borrower of funds. He is alleged to have borrowed in 2010 the sum of N370,000 from the zonal coordinator of the Tribunal and is yet to pay. This had led to a shouting match once.

Beyond all these, there are bigger but more fundamental issues surrounding his academic qualification. He is alleged not to be a judge and is not qualified to be a judge. A friend of his, a former Chief Justice of the Federation, got him the job.

Some dirty but knee-weakening allegations bother on some staff of the Tribunal who used official means to award contracts to themselves by proxy. They were made to face a panel which indicted them. They were to return some monies back to the Tribunal. These monies were allegedly paid into the private accounts of the chairman. All the indicted officers had paid the monies but not to the tribunal accounts, said our sources.

The local cooperative in the Tribunal borrowed the chairman the sum of N2million. He paid back N1m and has since 2010 refused to pay back the balance. For instance, there are allegations that Murtala Sanni (SAN), the immediate past chairman of the tribunal when he died on the 24th January 2011, the sum of N24million was gotten from both the house and the office. The money was alleged to have been stolen.

www.gongnews.net had made several efforts in the past to reach the Code of Conduct Tribunal by telephone calls and SMS to confirm or deny the allegations levied against him.

Question is, can a judge whose hands as so dirty try an accused person brought before him?

100 Days of 8th Senate and The New Nigerian ‘Normal’ -By Bamikole Omishore

June 9, 2015 will forever go down in our country’s legislative history as a day to be remembered. The 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria took off with Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the Senator representing Kwara Central, emerging unopposed as the Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly. Since then, the legislative chamber has hit the ground running.

Dr. Saraki, in a bid to emphasize that he sought the position of ‘first amongst equals’ in the Senate to champion a new but progressive course, announced that he was devoting his efforts towards ensuring that the ‘Change’ that Nigerians voted for in the general elections would be the ultimate roadmap that would guide the affairs of the legislative body. Since then, the upper chamber has set out on a legislative journey that has been characterized by the efforts of Senators to ensure that Nigerians receive the dividends of the new Nigerian modus operandi: “The end of the inefficient and ineffective days of ‘business as usual.’”

At a first glance, given the coordinated media efforts to disparage the leadership and the institution of the Senate, some may easily believe that the Red Chamber has been asleep since its inauguration. However, a careful tally of its activities in the last three months shows puts a lie to that claim.

One, last month’s decision of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) which abolished bulk metering and modified the fixed charges to reflect rate of usage has addressed the problem of distribution companies charging Nigerians predetermined and exorbitant fees for erratic power supply. Following a Senate resolution on the matter, NERC announced an end to the practice, and went a step further to restructure their billing system to ensure that electricity consumers would only be liable for what they consume.

In another development that is in line with the commitment of the leadership of the Senate to ensure an open, transparent and accountable legislature, the Senate President tasked members of the Rules and Business Committee to develop an e-parliamentary system for the business of the legislative house. This system, which is unprecedented in Nigeria, but is now the norm in many parliaments across the world, has been proven to be a cost-effective, and environmentally friendly way to embark on lawmaking. This system equally bridges the gap between direct and representative democracy, because its technological components will give room for direct access to legislative business by the citizenry, while its utilization by lawmakers will continue the process of representative action.

Another point worthy of note with regards to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business is that of appointing Senator Babajide Omoworare to Chair this committee, the Senate President has demonstrated that competency will be the ultimate guiding principle in making appointments in the Senate. This is because Senator Omoworare is a member of the Unity Forum that opposed Senator Saraki’s candidacy for Senate President. However, given his pedigree as a lawyer and legislator, he has been called upon to steer the committee that is referred to as ‘the engine room’ of the Senate.

In the more than six years of the Boko Haram insurgency, no delegation from the federal legislature ever visited the North-east zone. Nevertheless, on August 3rd, the Senate President – defying the counsel of many who taught the venture unsafe – led a delegation of Senators on a fact-finding mission to Maiduguri, Borno State. Also, his deputy lead another delegation to Yola, Adamawa State on a similar mission – to empathize with the people. Since then, the Senate has committed itself to working on legislations and advocacy work that will aid the reconstruction, rebuilding and rehabilitation of the areas hardest hit by the insurgency. The Senate President, has taken this commitment one step further. In his Wednesday, September 2nd keynote address at the 4th World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Dr. Saraki sought the collaboration of the international community to end the Boko Haram menace, and curb terrorism in all its forms across the world.

He has equally used his various meetings with diplomats representing various countries to canvass international support for the reconstruction efforts that will soon commence in the North-east, after the inevitable end of the crisis.

To ensure that Nigerian businesses and the Nigerian economy is strengthened though strategic and meaningful partnerships, the Senate leadership has met with Ambassadors to Nigeria from countries like Germany, Mexico, United States, Britain, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and India, and heads of parliaments of Germany and France, to ensure legislative collaboration to boost Nigeria’s economy. The Senate has also waded into the European Union ban on Nigerian agricultural produce, by tasking NAFDAC and the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to tighten its oversight on Nigerian products to ensure their acceptance in international markets.

Also, in-line as a way of making the operations of the National Assembly open – as demanded by Nigerians, the Senate President set up a National Assembly Finance review committee that has been tasked with making the books of the upper legislative chamber open. Additionally, after his return from the meeting of parliamentary heads in New York, the Senate President took an unscheduled assessment tour of the National Assembly complex to assess the needs of the complex and familiarize himself with the environment. The tour which is the first to be made by any Senate President since the National Assembly moved into the present site in 1992 also enabled Saraki to get a better understanding of some of the areas that Nigerians can get more value for the money being spent on National Assembly. It was on this tour that a fully equipped, virtually unutilized National Assembly station – worth about N500 million – was discovered.

Additionally, the Senate President has reassured Nigerians that competency will be the watchword during the upcoming screening of ministerial nominees. What’s more, Nigerians can be assured of a thorough process. Based on the objections to the old practice raised by the public, there is a general feeling amongst the Senators that the ‘Bow and Go’ custom might be jettisoned in the best interest of setting meaningful screening and confirmation precedents that future legislature can follow.

Based on the aforementioned, it is clear that the responsiveness of the 8th Senate to the yearnings of the general public cannot be called into question. This development can be added to the ongoing citizen engagement that has become a feature of the operations of some of the serving Senators who are following the Senate President’s example by using social media to update Nigerians on their activities. This is a welcome development. The likes of Senators Gbenga Ashafa, Binta Garba, Babajide Omoworare, Ben Murray-Bruce, Dino Melaye, Oluremi Tinubu and Shehu Sani have led the online charge to make staying abreast of the Senate’s activities easier.

On top of this, the Senate has worked to treat more petitions from Nigerians. This is demonstrated by the ongoing work of the committee in charge of public petitions – in spite of the recess – which has continued to meet and review petitions that have been sent to it concerning the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)and multinational companies that are being accused of abusing the rights of Nigerians.

It is clear that the 8th Senate, with Dr. Saraki at its helm, is not just preaching the ‘Change Agenda’, it has also rolled up its sleeves to enact and work it. Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, this could be the beginning of a ‘New Nigerian Normal.’ A new normal that works for everyone…

– Bamikole Omishore is the Special Assistant on New Media to the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

opportunity an earlier meeting of select parliamentary leaders with the UN scribe, Ban Ki Moon, to canvass that Nigeria be supported to quell the Boko Haram insurgency.
The delegation, also at the various bilateral meetings, lobbied for international support for our economic revival plan. Saraki and his colleagues were able to convince their colleagues in other countries on the on-going genuine attempts to rebuild the Nigerian economy as demonstrated by the policies and programmes of the Buhari administration and the solid support the legislature is giving the executive.
With the New York visit, the Senate convinced the international community that all arms of government in Nigeria are united in the objective of fighting the war against insecurity, economic problems and youth unemployment.
If in 100 days, the Senate has re-assured the people that the  efforts to end  insecurity in North-East has full legislative support, joined the executive in mounting international campaign to   support the efforts and utilised all instruments like legislations, oversights and advocacy to    further serve Nigerians interests, then the eighth Senate has started well. I have no doubt that it will do better than many Nigerians ever imagined.

* Olaniyonu is Special Adviser to the Senate President

100 DAYS OF EIGHTH SENATE:The gains of visitation
Let me quickly do a definition of term here. My meaning of visitation is the few visits that Senate delegations had made outside parliament to advance the interest of Nigeria. On Wednesday, September 16, 2015, it will be 100 days since the eighth Senate was inaugurated based on the proclamation by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The upper legislative house started on a shaky ground as the issue of election of the leadership became mired in eedless controversy, obviously fueled from outside parliament. Today, the leadership, headed by Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has shaken off the initial setback and   demonstrated the ability to be the best the country has produced.
While there are so many areas through which one can objectively evaluate the performance of the Senate in 100 days, I have chosen to limit myself to the three visits made by the
Legislative house outside Abuja as well as the symbolism and significance of the visit to judge how well it has done.
On August 3, the Senate decided to fulfil its promise to send a delegation to Maiduguri,  Borno State capital and centre of the insurgency against the nation by Boko Haram. The decision to send the delegation to Borno State came after an elaborate debate on insecurity in the North-East. During that debate, the Senate President allowed all senators who wanted to contribute to the motion moved by Senator George Sekibo representing Rivers State. There were chilling reports from personal experiences, losses and deprivations rendered by senators from the affected states. The tales of woes made the chamber to resolve to send a delegation to Maiduguri for an on-the-spot assessment of the security situation and the plight of  residents.
Apart from Saraki, other members of the delegation include Senate Leader, Ali Ndume; Deputy Chief Whip;   Francis Alimikhena; Danjuma Goje;   Bukar Abba Ibrahim; Hassan Mohammed; Abubakar Kyari and the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Isa Galaudu.
During the visit, Saraki assured Borno people   that the entire country was solidly behind them in their trying period . He  said: “We have come to feel your pains, to hear what you have been going through first hand. To seek to understand the severe bloody struggle you have had to endure and go through emotionally, physically, financially and in many other ways which can hardly be put in words”.
The Senate delegation, in company of Governor Shettima, paid homage to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Khanemi, during which they assured that the Senate will do all in its power to ensure that  life returned to the state and the geo-political zone.  The team later visited the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)   camps located at the Umaru Shehu College of Education, and the Government College, Maiduguri, bristling  with over 4,000 displaced persons.  They also visited the Dalori IDPs camp housing over 18,000  persons from Bama local government area of Borno State.
Saraki said the resolution of the Senate to send the high powered delegation was a demonstration of the commitment   of the upper chamber to find a lasting solution to the plight of the people in the North-East.  “We have come to sit with you and listen to you and hopefully together on solutions that would significantly change your situation for the better. We believe that after this visit your situation will not be the same again.  The mission of our visit is simple; we have come to bring you hope and to let you know that the Nigerian Senate has not abandoned you and real change is coming. We are determined to end this carnage, this senseless and sorrowful war. We are determined to defeat Boko Haram. The  Nigerian Senate and indeed the National Assembly is willing to support you and your families to ensure that your lives return to normal. We could not in good conscience talk to you from Abuja. No. This new senate would rather come here and this is why we are here,” he stressed.
Saraki added: “We stand with you against Boko Haram and everything that stands against your security and against your welfare. We stand together with our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari whose singular devotion to ending these senseless killings gives us greater belief that together we will win the war.  Our president has continued to work night and day to bring this evil of Boko Haram to a permanent end and we reiterate our resolve to ensure that together we succeed.   We stand with our troops and will in the coming days show them that this new Senate will do all that is within its powers of authorization and approvals, support them and provide for them the necessary funding and oversight that will guarantee that they defeat this insurgency.
“The 8th Senate has made the security and welfare of our people priority number one on its agenda. We are very conscious of the level of carnage and destruction that has been wrought on the people here.  We will be working closely with our counterparts in the House of Representatives to make sure that we rebuild the economy of the North-East. We will not rest on our oars until normalcy is returned to this troubled region”, he said.
While welcoming the Senate President and his team, Governor Shettima, who spoke in an emotion-laden voice, stated that the visit was historic . “I would like to express my sincere and profound welcome to the Senate President and our respected and distinguished Senators   over this official visit to Borno State, which is the first of its kind by any Senate President since the advent of Civilian Administration in 1999.  This is a clear manifestation of your concern for the plight of the people of the North-East   region and Borno State in particular,” he said.
The governor observed that there are 26 IDP camps in Maiduguri aside those in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and other states across the country.  He urged the National Assembly to pass a bill that will create the North-East Development Commission to handle the issue of reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of the IDPs and provide employment for youths as was done in the Niger Delta.  Shettima said: “The people of Borno State view this day and this visit as most apt and most significant. I have no doubt in my mind about the seriousness of this administration to putting a permanent end to this senseless bloodletting and madness of a few misguided elements, who hide under the canopy of religion”.
The day after the visit, Senator Ike Ekweremadu  led another delegation to Adamawa State,  another epicentre of the Boko Haram war. The Senate delegation   further gave hope to the people. Through both visits, the senators empathised with residents of the two states and encouraged the political, military and traditional leadership to resist the marauders.
And the result of the visitation is that Saraki and his colleagues have almost become radicalised on the need to end  the North-East   insurgency as fast as possible. Today, the Senate has become the evangelist of the gospel of   peace in the geo-political zone. Every opportunity the Senate President has, he uses to canvass international support for rebuilding, resettlement and rehabilitation of the people and the environment in the North-East. The Senate President has, during meetings with envoys of foreign countries who pay courtesy visit to his office, urged for support to Nigeria to end the Boko Haram crisis.
Between August 30 and September 2, the Senate made another visitation. This time to New York where a delegation-led by Saraki attended the 4th United Nations International Conference for Heads of Parliaments. The three-man delegation which included Dino Melaye and Andy Uba, during the bilateral meetings with delegations from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, continuously   harped on the need for international support for Nigeria, to end the carnage in the North-East and resettle the people.
Saraki used the UN platform to urge that insecurity in Nigeria be taken as a global crisis  like similar occurrences in other parts of the world. His message resonated well with the world gathering, particularly since he had equally utilised the

SP @BUKOLASARAKI CONDOLES WITH FAMILIES OF IDP BOMB BLAST
Senate President, Bukola Saraki has condoled with the family of the victims of bomb blast at the largest Internally Displaced Persons, IDP in Yola.
He wrote on his twitter handle how his heart felt for the victims, adding, "My prayers go out to the victims of attacks at the largest IDP Camp located in Yola. Our IDPs need our support now more than ever."
He stated that the insurgents had resorted to cowardly methods because they are being defeated by our servicemen and women on the battlefield...
"We must continue to pray for the success of our military as they work to end this terror. We must all remain resolute that we are witnessing the last days of Boko Haram," he said.

My experience as Senate President, interesting, challenging, says Saraki

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, today (Wednesday) said that his experience since assumption of office three months ago has been both interesting and challenging.

Saraki spoke while answering questions from reporters after his official tour of the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, the first such tour to be embarked upon by any Senate President since 1992 when the National Assembly moved to its present location.He however said that the rewarding aspect of the job is the overwhelming support he has received from his colleagues, the management and staff of the National Assembly, Nigerians in general and the international community.

On his experience so far since assuming office on June 9, the Senate President said: “Well, it is interesting, challenging but I think what is rewarding about it is the support from one’s colleagues, the management and the enthusiasm that you see going round with some of the staff of the National Assembly. Also, similar support from Nigerians from all walks of life and the international community”

He said the familiarization tour was meant to allow him and the principal officers of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly have on-the-spot assessment of the environment so as to make for good understanding of issues and challenges being faced by both staff and management of the National Assembly.

Saraki said: “The Assembly complex represents the image of the National Assembly, So, it is important for us to see what the issues are and have an understanding of the environment. Unless you go round and have a first hand understanding, sometimes, it is difficult for you to understand what are the issues and challenges for all the staff, their conditions, productivity and all that. By the time I go round, I will have a better understanding and I will know what the issues are and we will be able to tackle them one by one.”

On his impression of the situation in the complex after the tour, Saraki said: “By and large I think for an institution like this and over the many years of its existence as well as the number of staff, I think the maintenance is generally acceptable.”

He however urged the management to improve on what is on ground so as to protect and project a better image of the legislative institution. 

The Senate President added: “I think, of course, there is still area of improvement here and there, considering the number of people here, people that are coming in and out. I think there are some areas that again, particularly key areas of ICT and Research.”

He stated that the upper chamber is committed to fulfilling its promises to Nigerians by connecting with the people. 

Saraki said: “There is a general desire to make the country proud with what we are doing here and I think we all have to keep to the promises we have made to all Nigerians that we will do our best to connect with Nigerians and let Nigerians appreciate that we are here to serve and to work for the good of this country.”

Areas of the complex visited by the Senate President and other principal officers of the Senate included the Offices of the Clerk and Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, Foreign Affairs Office of the Senate, the Senate Press Centre, the Police Station, State Security Service (SSS), Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms, Senate’s Tea Room, Hansard Reporters section, National Assembly Television and Radio Studio, Clinic, Library, the Nigeria Police and Defence Liaison Offices. 

Others are the Procurement, Estate and Works Directorate, Corporate Services Directorate, Personnel Department, Offices of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Assembly Station of the Nigeria Fire Service, Dental and Eye Clinics, Legal Department, Finance and Accounts Directorate and the Canteen. 

Signed:

Media Office of the Senate President

BUKOLA SARAKI AWARDS SCHOLARSHIP TO BEST LAW STUDENTS OF UNILORIN

The Senate President of Nigeria, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, today awarded two 1st Class Graduates from the Faculty of Law of University of Ilorin to Nigeria School of Law. The two young men, Muhammad Abdullahi Tosin and Adam Muhammad Ndakuku are indigenes of Irepodun and Edu Local Government Area of Kwara state respectively.

This is according to the latest update on his Facebook, instagram and twitter platforms as thus, "Today I had the privilege of awarding two young Nigerians from University of Ilorin with scholarships to Law School.

I have always maintained that when the young people of our country succeed, we all succeed.

I hope these scholarships will provide a little help to these two young men, as they journey down the right path to succeed in their spheres of engagement." He then promised to extend the philanthropic gesture to other promising ones among the downtrodden Nigerian youths.



https://instagram.com/p/7VedeDxWkO/

Keynote Address By Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki At The Fourth World Conference Of Speakers Of Parliament At The UN Headquarters, New York

PROTOCOL.

Greetings from the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It is a great honour to address you this morning. Let me join my other colleagues in congratulating the IPU on this historic conference of speakers. The timing could not have been more significant.

Today, we live in a world that is embattled with challenges with no easy answers from climate change, to regional conflicts and terrorism. These conflicts have brought in their wake the problem of internal destitution, displacement and dislocation. Democracy and development cannot take place in this type of atmosphere. The challenge the global community now faces is how to quickly turn this tide around to achieve sustainable development.

My fellow colleagues, this is the biggest question which development faces across the world. For us in Nigeria, the challenge is the same. Thankfully, election violence is no longer part of our cocktail of conflicts. Nigeria just came out of a general election a few months ago.

The process, the outcome and the aftermath of that election are quite significant in many respects, not only to Nigeria but also to the entire African continent, as it has set a standard for the rest of Africa to follow. Hopefully, the days where elections lead to instability and conflict in Africa will become a thing of the past.

In the days leading to the election, many analysts outside Nigeria believed the elections would end in serious crisis and even predicted that Nigeria may not survive as a united country. Well, events turned out differently. Nigeria went ahead to conduct a most peaceful and most transparent election in her history.

For the first time ever, the ruling party was defeated in a free and fair election. More importantly, we witnessed a peaceful transfer of power to the opposition after the then incumbent had graciously conceded defeat. President Muhammadu Buhari has since assumed office and the people of Nigeria look ahead with great hopes and renewed optimism.

With the historic success of that election, Nigerians demonstrated an abiding commitment to democracy. In a country with a rather long history of military rule, and on a continent still dotted by sit-tight presidents, this is very encouraging indeed.

However, while the rest of the world has acknowledged this Nigerian achievement and have rejoiced with us accordingly, those of us in leadership position understand that an election by itself does not make democracy.

Our democracy will only be strengthened if it is able to guarantee also, better life and security for our people. This is where the challenge then lies. How then do we guarantee better life for our people in the mist of terrorism, insecurity and corruption?

Like most other countries, terrorism has become a clog on our wheel to sustainable development. Since 2009, we have seen many of our innocent citizens have been brutally and senselessly murdered and others rendered internally displaced.

The idea of a 15-year-old girl suicide bomber, wherever it may be in the world, be it in the Middle East, Africa, South America, Asia is not the world of our dream. It is not a reflective of a world where sustainable development is the agenda.

Surely, these cannot be treated as a local problem. The brutality, purposelessness and borderlessness of these challenges make it imperative that we adopt a global approach to solving the issue of terrorism. Terrorism on one part of the world is no more important than that in another part.

The Nigerian parliament is committed to this and is ready to play its part to deliver successful results. Terrorism threatens our democracy, our unity and our effort towards sustainable development. Boko Haram represents the greatest terrorist threat we face. The insurgency’s senseless terror has brought untold destruction and hardship on our people in the North East of the country.

The time is now. We have the will and the right leadership in the person of President Buhari, who by his body language and antecedents will lead the country’s effort to fight this war. In our President and the current 8th Senate, as well as the House of Representatives you have a reliable partner.

I therefore call on the international community to partner with Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram and other threats to our collective security including human trafficking, kidnapping and proliferation of illegal arms in our region as well as mobilizing resources for rebuilding that part of my country.

Thankfully, our military has in recent times, significantly degraded the morale and capacity of the insurgents to launch attacks in the area, a feat that has since seen many settlements liberated, roads reopened and hope restored. I call on the global community to join hands with Nigeria to rebuild the overwhelming destruction of the Northeast.

The plight of people fleeing conflict zones in search of peace and better life must task our abilities on how we can build inclusive sustainable development, one that sees them as having a share in this new world order. Today, more and more people have become displaced by conflict than ever since World War 11. This displacement is creating a new kind of conflict arising from desperate poverty, and identity and resource crises in an unwelcoming world.

Fellow colleagues, Nowhere are these challenges more keenly felt, than in the plight of displaced persons, migrants and refugees, where due to conflict and natural disasters, citizens are bereft of human rights, even certifiable citizenship identities, such as the ongoing situations in North-East Nigeria, with the attendant shock waves being felt in other parts of the world through the rising tides of unsafe and unregulated, emergency migration, to Europe and other regions.

In my country alone, we have seen the displacement of over 2 million persons and about 10,000 children orphaned by the Boko Haram conflict. The human misery has been unspeakable. I had the opportunity of an entire day visiting from camp to camp some of the IDP, to see first hand the real suffering that thousand of mostly women and children are going through. It’s horrendous.

Therefore, for the SDG to succeed, we must enact enabling laws that will ensure the smooth implementation of embedded policies and programmes for the benefit of the global state. We also have to ensure adequate inter-parliamentary cohesion.

This will enable us to harness ideas and strategies that are mutually beneficial in achieving our goals. Also, a periodic monitoring platform is necessary to constantly check the progress of the programme.

The international legislature must help to define and prioritize the new SDGs. Only a veritable and deep-seated commitment to upholding democratic principles, promoting peace and sustainable development can lead to the actualization of a better world. We must commit to building a world centered on improving the well-being of humanity, and look to the future with unyielding determination.

The legislature surely has a critical role to play in providing the underpinnings that would help create a new global regime that is able to deal with these challenges in terms of laws and oversight. Thankfully, the United Nations has taken the right steps in involving the legislature early in the process of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals.

We must now speak and act in unison. No excuses. We must play our role to see it to the next level. The IPU has a duty of galvanizing member state support and action in these regards. Most of all whatever we do we must keep in mind that without peace it is impossible to achieve sustainable development.

I thank you for your kind attention and wish us all fruitful deliberations.

Senator (Dr.) Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON

President of the Senate

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Saraki Urges Nigerian Govt to Appoint More Youths Into Leadership Positions

Nigeria's Senate President Bukola Saraki, speaking at the Rise Networks International Youth Day event on Monday, has urged the Nigerian government to appoint more youths into leadership roles.

"The perfect summation of the Nigerian society: "The older generation are the 'investors', while the younger generation are the 'primary stakeholders'" he said.

"What Nigeria needs today to solve many of her pressing problems is a bridge between the investors and the primary stakeholders.

"We need to put more young people in leadership roles to enable them to start advancing ‘New School Ideas’ in our ‘Old School Country.’

"We need realistic-progressive ideas and ideals like ‘The Medici Effect’ - a new way of thinking that lies at the intersection of ideas.

"The innovation that we need to solve our problems will come from the intersection of the past, the present, and the future generation," he said.

"There needs to be a constant meeting of the ideas of younger and older people in government offices, corporations, and social institutions."

According to him, if the younger generation succeeds, Nigeria'll succeed as a country.

Photo update: with Secretary General of United Nations, Ban Ki Moon at the 1st day of the 4th United Nations Conference for Parliamentary Heads in New York

Saraki Leads Delegation to 4th UN Conference of Parliamentary Heads
...To address session on Wednesday
Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, will on Monday lead the Nigerian delegation to participate in the 4th United Nations Conference of Parliamentary Heads holding at the organisation's headquarters in New York, United States.
This year's conference which will be declared open by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, will feature presentation of reports and general debate on "placing democracy at the service of peace and sustainable development."
Other issues billed for debate include 'Challenges facing Parliaments today', 'Parliamentary Oversight: challenges and opportunities ', while Dr. Saraki is expected to participate in a multi-lateral meeting to be hosted by the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), Mr. Yuli-Yoel Edelstein.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) and selected Heads of Parliaments (GLOBE International Representation) are also expected to meet on the sidelines during the conference.
The Senate President is billed to address the session of the world forum on Wednesday September 2 and later hold a press conference immediately after the speech. He is also billed to hold bilateral talks with the heads of delegation of China, Germany, France and United Kingdom.
Saraki is accompanied on the trip by Senators Andy Uba, Shehu Sani and Dino Melaye. Others on the entourage include Special Adviser to the Senate President on Economic Matters, Dr. Uchendu Okoye and Special Assistant on Public Partnerships.
The Senate President and his team departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for New York on Saturday ahead of the conference which begins on Monday 31st August 2015 and ends on Wednesday September 3, 2015.
Yusuph Olaniyonu
Special Adviser to Senate President on Media and Publicity

Ambassador Adefuye: Nigeria Has Lost An International Defender – SP Saraki.

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Saturday, expressed sadness over the death of Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, in Washington DC.

Saraki described the death as a monumental loss to Nigeria whose international image Adefuye passionately shaped and defended in the U.S until his last breath.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, in Abuja, Saraki said: “It is really sad that Adefuye waved us goodbye at a time his excellent services as a diplomat of repute are in dire need. His passionate advocacy and defense of Nigeria contributed immensely to Nigeria being declassified as “a country of interest” in America’s terrorism watch list following the Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s underwear bombing saga.

“We have lost an international defender. We have lost a strong voice at the international arena. However, it is inspiring that he died while rendering exemplary services to the fatherland.

“On behalf of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I salute late Adefuye for a life of remarkable achievements as an academic and diplomat. He fought a good fight and acquitted himself valiantly. I am so proud that he was an epitome of the true Nigerian spirit, but also very sad that he left us suddenly.”

Saraki prayed God to grant the soul of the deceased a peaceful rest and his family the grace to bear the irreparable loss.

SARAKI'S PEACE MOVES

By Zaiyanu Kabir Usman

If the report by the Punch newspaper of Sunday, August 23, 2015 that the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, had been reaching out to mend any broken fences with President Muhammadu Buhari and the former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is true, then it is something to be commended and encouraged.


Although one wonders what the report wanted to achieve with the title- “Saraki eats the humble pie, reaches out to Tinubu”, I think that whether it is Saraki that is reaching out to Tinubu or it is Tinubu that is reaching out to Saraki to ensure that Babatunde Fowler, the President’s nominee for the Federal Inland Revenue Service job, scales the Senate hurdle, fence-mending is a mature and godly imperative in the All Progressives Congress (APC) now. At least, that is how those of us that are no party men, but stand to benefit from good governance, see it.


The APC is in a situation where the more you point one finger at another, the more the remaining four fingers will point back at you, for there is enough blame pie to go round. Multiple mistakes have been made and to scapegoat a few persons would serve no purpose.
For instance, the party threw the race to the various National Assembly leadership positions open whereas it could have resolutely zoned them ab initio. That way, it would have been easier to, in good conscience, release the hammer on the heads of defaulters.
If President Buhari had also declared his preferred team for the positions, things could probably have been different. But, his official position was that he was very much prepared to work with whichever leadership team enthroned by the lawmakers.


It was a democratic and wise decision, no doubt. Leaderships enthroned by Members themselves have lasted, while those imposed from outside are often recipes for instability. They don’t often last. Count from 1999 to date. Nevertheless, it could have been politically correct at the same time to assert himself a bit, especially when things started getting out of hand. For instance, amidst walkout staged by Dogara’s camp and boycott by Senator Saraki’s supporters in protest of what they perceived as an ambush and predetermined straw poll, silence was the loud answer from the President because he didn’t want to be seen as meddlesome. But he alone had the weight and respect to call the errant party leaders and lawmakers to order and ensure that everyone was fairly treated and the processes transparent.


In fact, it would not have been a bad idea to stage a strong lobbying initiative or invite the aspirants to declare his preferences and then solicit the understanding and support of the rest aspirants. But the only intervention credited to him was the controversial meeting at the International Conference Centre in the morning of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, which many still insist was just a case of name-dropping.


Furthermore, but for the President’s body language in refusing to meet with Senator Saraki so far, the general feeling among PDP and some APC faithful was that the quest to foist Ahmad Lawan et al on the National Assembly was totally a Bola Tinubu project. Lawmakers, true to their nature, rose in defence of the independence of the legislature, especially considering how the Lagos State House of Assembly was used to cage Babatunde Fashola. Some Reps still say that Hon. Gbajabiamila could probably have won had he run as Femi Gbajabiamila, and not as Tinubu or anyone else’s acolyte. As in Tambuwal’s case, they wanted a Speaker they could call their own.


The APC should also have known that they were just one of the parties represented at the National Assembly; that the minority do not just have a constitutional say on who becomes the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker, and Deputy Speaker, but they also have the right to vie for any of the positions. This would have guided them in properly weighing the implications of their slim majority in the Senate and also in adopting more acceptable candidates.


Without prejudice, Ahmed Lawan’s candidacy had “K leg” from the outset. His views on national issues like the Petroleum Industry Bill and insurgency, etc. on the floor, during committee works, and media interviews portrayed him to his southern colleagues as a regional and religious bigot. So, attempts by his foot soldiers in both the APC and PDP at selling his candidature to the PDP caucus where 32 of the 49 PDP Senators hail from South East and South South met a brick wall. Again, expecting the 32 Senators to vote for an all-north senate presidency of Senators Lawan and Akume was a big miscalculation. The propaganda that Senator Saraki was adopted by the PDP simply because he was a former member of the party is what it is- propaganda. Saraki was rather perceived as cosmopolitan and urbane. Also, PDP is an opposition party; it could have been foolhardy for the APC to expect them to endorse candidates allegedly imposed by it. The elements that make up the APC did it with Tambuwal in 2011.


Indeed, the APC made and still appears to be making the mistake of not being magnanimous in victory, which is compelling either by choice or by the political exigencies of PDP’s number in the Senate. Otherwise, the current bi-partisan leadership scenario in the Senate should have been APC’s initiative to promote smooth governance, balance, and national reconciliation after a rancorous general election. Only a few like Senator Sani Umar seem to appreciate this point.


I stare in bewilderment each time some party leaders and Senators of the APC argue that part of the President’s grouse was that Senator Saraki emerged with PDP support, while Senator Ike Ekweremadu emerged as the Deputy Senate President. But, didn’t Senator Lawan unsuccessfully seek PDP’s votes?


If the rumour is true, then those who have the President’s ears must have just been misadvising and regaling him with what they stand to lose as individuals rather than what his administration stands to gain with a PDP Deputy Senate President in a chamber where the APC leads with meagerly nine seats, and where APC caucus is in shambles.


Besides, quotable quotes of Buhari and the APC as recently reproduced by a columnist show that both Buhari and the APC are fans of bi-partisan leadership in the legislature before now. Buhari reacted to Tambuwal’s defection from PDP to APC this way: “We will like to thank Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal for what he did yesterday. We were overwhelmed. Taking such a remarkable risk and sending everybody on holidays till December is an achievement”.


Alhaji Lai Muhammed, the party’s National Publicity Secretary announced to the media: “I must say that this historic development means that our democracy is growing by the day and it is dynamic…. We think that having the head of the legislature from the opposition party makes for a balanced setting in government and it’s good for democracy. Those who are saying this has not happened before and that Tambuwal should step aside as Speaker do not have the backing of history and the constitution”.


Hon. Gbajabiamila who was the leader of the opposition in the House at the time concurred as follows: “We are proud to acknowledge that the Speaker remains not only a Member of the House of Representatives, but also it’s Speaker. This position is consistent with the law and practice in a presidential system of government and Nigeria is no different. For the avoidance of doubt, the Constitution requires only that the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be elected by members of that House from among themselves”.


Integrity includes defending the principle you believe in, both when it favours you and when it doesn’t. And the whole world knows that President Buhari is a man of integrity.
Meanwhile, this piece is not about apportioning blames. It is rather about stating the obvious- that mistakes have been made by stakeholders and that it is in the interest of the APC and Nigeria for the warring parties to end the blame game and sheath their swords. There is time for everything, say the Holy Scriptur

Saraki Tasks Committee On Uninterrupted Power Supply

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, today (Friday) charged the Senate Adhoc Committee on Power to urgently work towards the resolution of all the challenges currently facing the power sector.

Saraki who spoke while inaugurating the Committee headed by Senator Abubakar Kyari in Abuja, said the economic woes in the country can only be addressed when the power sector is fully made functional.

He said the immediate concern of the 8th Senate is to use every legislative instrument at its disposal to ensure that “light replaces the darkness” in the country.

Saraki said: “You will recollect in my earlier address on the June 9 when I said that Nigerians will begin to see a proactive National Assembly that will devote itself to rigorous thinking, a National Assembly that will roll up its sleeves to forge a new and prosperous Nigeria.

“Our economy cannot be prosperous without us addressing the problems of the power sector. The power sector is a key driver of the economy. Whatever we do in trying to address the problems of the power sector is essential in trying to rebuilding economy. The power challenges that we have are real. They are serious and many.

“There is work to be done concerning our power and that is why you will recollect that we debated seriously on all the issues in the power sector and in response we made a resolution and agreed that an ad-hoc committee be quickly set up, to be charged with the responsibility of oversight and to tackle the issue of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Nigeria.

“Our concern is to see that we can use every legislative instrument at our disposal to ensure that light replaces the darkness we have,” he stated.

He further said the aim of the 8th Senate is to ensure that Nigerians enjoy uninterrupted power supply, saying, “I believe that the task before you is huge and it is to ensure that this sector must be productive, efficient, accountable and transparent.”

Earlier, Chairman of the 14-member Committee, Senator Kyari, assured the Senate President that the Committee would carry out its task objectively.

He said the nation’s entire power value chain requires the review of extant policies to obtain optimum performance.

Kyari said: “It is in line with this objective, that the committee would be seeking explanations from the Management of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on the terms of their management contract with the Federal Government as it relates to assets inherited, funds injected into the company so far and the achievements recorded.”

He decried a practice where some distribution companies (Discos) reject power load allocations in order to reduce cost. He further said that the metering system of Discos which places emphasis on estimated billing and imposition of fixed charges for services not rendered requires urgent and fundamental review.

He added: “There have been a lot of unwholesome practices by some of these companies. The Committee has to get down to the root of these problems especially where provisions have been made in the past, through appropriation, prior to privatization and funds were not properly utilized. We must therefore find out what brought us to this sorry state.”

He said the committee is not out to witch-hunt any individual or organization, saying, “We are on a fact finding mission and would pursue our mandate objectively.”

Signed:

Media Office of the Senate President

Saraki Assures Investors Of Attractive Business Environment
Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, today (Friday) said the Senate is committed to enacting appropriate legislations to create attractive business environment in the country.
Saraki spoke when the Chairman of Black Rhino Group and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, led the Chairman and Co-founder of Blackstone Group, Stephen Schwarzman and his delegation on a courtesy call on the Senate President in Abuja.
The President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, was also a part of the delegation.
The Senate President said the 8th Senate would concentrate on commercial aspects of the nation's laws having successfully reviewed the criminal aspect in the 7th Senate.
Saraki said: "I congratulate you for the first step you have taken in coming to invest in Nigeria and to reassure you that as far as we are concerned, the Senate will give support in any way we can to make legislations that will make investing in Nigeria conducive.
"One of our priorities in the legislature is to look at the private sector and the business environment because some of our old laws have not been reviewed and that is why we are setting up committees to look at and make it more interesting and attractive to invest in Nigeria.
"In the Seventh Senate, we have done a review of the criminal aspect of the laws and brought them up to date and now we are dealing on the commercial side," he said.
Earlier, Emir Sanusi II said his firm, Black Rhino Group, which handles Africa's infrastructure investments, is partnering with Dangote Group to make significant investments in the country.
The Emir of Kano said: "I am here in my capacity as the chairman, Black Rhino Group which handles Africa’s infrastructure investment and we are committed, in partnership with President Aliko Dangote, to make significant investments in power, energy and infrastructure in this country.
"Stephen (Chairman and Co-founder of Blackstone Group) is here on working visit and he will meet the President today basically given his assurance of continued support to the group and this country and to the effort of the administration to fix the infrastructure problems of the country."
On his part, Chairman and Co-founder of Blackstone Group, Stephen Schwarzman, congratulated Saraki on his election as Senate President.
He said his company is partnering with Aliko Dangote to invest in projects in the country.
Schwarzman said: "We have been very active in the infrastructure business particularly with power. We have teamed up with Aliko Dangote to try and do some projects here in Nigeria.
"We are very positive about the impact we can make and as an outsider, we have seen the change, the government’s emphasis on power. It is very important from an outsider’s perspective."
Signed:
Media Office of the Senate President

A Speech Delivered By The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki At The Show Case Session Of The Nigerian Bar Association On Monday 24th August, 2015

PROTOCOL

Your Excellencies, members of the Bar and Bench present, ladies and gentlemen.

I am honoured to have been invited by the NBA to Chair the show case session of the 2015 Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association.

My invitation to Chair a session of the NBA could not have come at a better time than now – especially as our country is going through significant political and economic change, and is pursuing a new direction of prosperity and opportunity for our people. No time could have been more auspicious than now – when our new regime, led by President Buhari, is steering the nation towards a new Nigeria that is corruption-free; where freedom, inclusiveness, fairness and good governance are guaranteed.

The cardinal challenge to this vision rests squarely on changing our already weak criminal justice system and reviewing the regulatory environment that makes doing business in Nigeria unfriendly. We must also deliberately and in a more accurate manner, improve the environment for the rule of law to thrive using enlightened advocacy and innovative lawmaking to solve the problems of a 21st century Nigeria. The NBA as a critical stakeholder and one of our nation’s strongest voices of reason has a major role to play in shaping the institutional and legal fundamentals that will help us achieve sustainable change.

The role of the legal profession in shaping this new legal regime on which the above vision for a new Nigeria that the APC government envisages cannot be over-emphasized.  It is in this context that I see the aptness in the choice of the theme of this year’s conference, ‘Lawyers and National Development’, as a profound theme.

As we all know the country is bedeviled with a lot of challenges ranging from mal-administration, weakening economy, endemic corruption, high spate of insurgency and unemployment.  The question that this conference should seek to answer will be: ‘How will the Nigerian Bar Association conference help deepen the debate and proffer innovative solutions to our contemporary issues?” I will be glad to see this showcase session deliberate on this and enable the NBA seize the moment.

For example, what intervention do we have to put in place in order to improve the quality and efficiency with which our courts deal with matters that come to it for adjudication especially corruption? How can we build legislative interventions that can help our businesses strengthen integrity, enforcement and sanctity of commercial contracts and obligations? How do we improve on the conflict resolution systems to expand economic freedoms and opportunities for our people? These are some of the vital questions the 8th National Assembly; other stakeholders with the NBA find answers to as we strife to build a more efficient democracy and resilient economy.

As a professional body founded on the ideas of integrity, justice, equity and good conscience, the NBA is suited to provide clear advisory on many of these issues. It is important to note that while we may have had pocket of successes on the issue of justice sector reforms, none has gone deep enough to substantially change the face of this very vital area of our national life.

The 8th National Assembly is alive to the challenge of reforming the justice sector and has made priority the agenda to use its legislative opportunities to significantly improve the expectation of this very vital sector. But as this conference theme has indicated, the NBA and lawyers will have a crucial role to play and it will take collaboration with NBA, the Bench and the generality of the Nigerian populace to build consensus on the best approaches to solving these justice sector challenges.  I therefore urge you to come up with proposals on these issues. We know that some of the issues attached to the problem of our courts may require constitutional amendment. While you may not have the authority to vote on the amendment of the Constitution in this wise, the NBA has the voice that compels national attention. It is this voice that must speak out and join the National Assembly and the State Assemblies to get such proposals to pass through the legislative mill.

I will personally welcome in the Senate proposals dealing with; the right of appeals on interlocutory matters, the Rule of Law, Judiciary, Separation of Powers, Human Right, Rules of Courts, Decongestion of Prisons etc.  All of these are key components of our rule of law.  If the Rule of Law is weak and the judicial system is susceptible to political interference, manipulation and corruption, then our nascent democracy will be threatened.

The independence and incorruptibility of the judiciary is another veritable ingredient in this reform agenda.  Significantly, there is a pertinent need for the judiciary to function independently without undue interference from the executive and the legislature this includes financial autonomy.  In the same vein there is the need to ensure that the people’s confidence in the integrity of our judiciary remains unshakable and untainted by a perception of corruption. Judges are expected to discharge their duties without fear or favour. The appointment of Judges should be based on merit and track record of integrity rather than being left purely under the dictates of politicians who may want to either appoint or remove a Judge just for selfish political reasons.  This is where the National Judiciary Council (NJC) should play a prominent unbiased role in the interest of justice.

The 8th Senate is determined to use its legislative powers to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. In this order, for the first time in the history of this country, the present National Assembly has forged a legislative agenda, encapsulating clearly laid down legislative priorities and goals in one document which will help the National Assembly have a much more focused and efficient legislative time.  The legislative agenda, which is to be deliberated and adopted by the Senate upon resumption, covers legislative interventions aimed at strengthening our public institutions ability to deliver good governance, accountability and expand our peoples’ ability to participate in a more liberal economic space.

The 8th Senate is determined to deliver change, tangible change to ensure that it will no longer be business as usual. The objective of our legislative agenda is that our legislative business is people driven; combating poverty, reduce unemployment, tackle insecurity and address long standing challenges of infrastructure deficit and environmental degradation including desertification, erosion and pollution.

This current Senate is poised to make efficient use of her legislative resources for timely delivery and passage of bills, support government reform programmes and reform the Annual Budget and Economic Planning process for proper budget implementation to avoid further abandonment of projects and block all areas of revenue leakages in the economy. Our policies will remain unsustainable if they are not backed up by legislation. We are ready to partner the NBA to deliver a major review of our business laws to make our business environment a lot friendlier.

I must take leave at this juncture to salute the contribution of the NBA to the deepening of our democracy. The NBA have continued to blaze the trail on good governance and rule of law advocacy. The successes of the 2015 general elections and the peaceful transition of power could not have been possible without the abiding commitment and resilience of the NBA and the Nigerian Civil Society in general.

I use this unique opportunity to congratulate all lawyers who are in government either by election or appointment and I hope that they will bring their wealth of knowledge as lawyers to bear in their official capacities.  And on a more serious note, let me seize this auspicious opportunity to congratulate one of your own, a Professor of law, the Vice President of the country, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, for having been elected

Senator Saraki has no Plot Against EFCC @MrBanksomishore
The attention of the media office of the President of the Senate, Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has been drawn to a publication alleging that the Senate President hired one Uboh to smear the integrity of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC.
It is pertinent and with all sense of responsibility and commitment to state unequivocally that the story is far from the truth. A fabricated story that can not sell to dent the image of Senator Saraki.
The general public is fully aware that the said online platform which first published the false story has been a paid agent of media attacks on the person of the Senate President and that all allegations made by the online platform against the Senate President have fallen flat on their face as bare lies, concocted with malicious intention.
To set the record straight, no body can rightfully claim that Senator Saraki engaged the services of the petitioner or any other person for that matter. There are about four different petitions from individuals, groups and corporate organisations written against the EFCC and submitted to the Senate.
Most of these petitions are dated 27/07/2015 and 31/07/2015 while some bothers on issues between 2013, 2014 and 2015. There are petitions that are directly written and received by the Senate while in some, the petition was written to the President and the Senate were copied.
Further to the above, EFCC is not the only government agency that has petition against it pending
before the Senate. There are pending petitions against the CG Custom, FIRS and NPA, amongst others. Is it also Senator Saraki that hired or engaged people to do this? What evidence does Sahara reporter have that links Senator Saraki to all these petitions before the Senate?
The Senate President has no relationship whatsoever with Mr Uboh in any capacity or in the course of his emergence as Senate President. If anybody has any proof of a relationship between Senator Saraki and the said Mr. Uboh, let him or her come forward to prove it.
Our Investigation showed that Uboh's petition has been in public domain since 2013 and that the details has been reported in national newspapers as well as cited in court proceedings. The Senate President could not be said to have hired any one to write a petition for him as he has no issue to sort out with any individual, group of people or an organisation.
Therefore, any insinuation that Senator Saraki is attempting to prevent EFCC from carrying out its constitutional responsibility is a hoax and an imagination of the writer.
Let it be known that the idea of people using the media to intimidate or blackmail the Senate to prevent it from performing its constitutional and legislative duties will be resisted and as such, meet stiff opposition expressed through lawful means. Senator Saraki is not the same as the Senate or National Assembly as an institution. Imputing sentiment into the legitimate working of any government institution will not urgur well for our development and democratic process.
Signed
Bamikole Omishore
Special Assistant to the Senate President (New Media)

TINUBU LOBBIES SARAKI, Senators Over Fowler 

Culled from Thisday 


Following the nomination of Mr. Babatunde Fowler by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the stage has been set for a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to contend with the leadership of the Senate with whom he has been at loggerheads since its emergence last June.


As required by law, Fowler would have to be confirmed by the Senate before he can head the FIRS. Should his nomination be rejected by the Senate, Buhari would either have submit another name to replace him or allow the current acting chairman Samuel Olugbesan to continue in the capacity.


But with the nomination of Fowler, a well known associate and protégé of Tinubu who served for nine years as the Chairman of the Lagos Board of Inland Revenue (LBIR), the former Lagos State governor would have to come face-to-face with Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu.


There has been no love lost between the Senate President and Tinubu since the former defied the dictates of the ruling party by contesting and clinching the Senate Presidency.


Tinubu had backed Senator Ahmed Lawan for the post but lost out when a meeting was set up at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, between several APC senators and Buhari, to coincide with the inauguration of the Eighth Senate.


Their absence from the Senate chamber on the day of the inauguration paved the way for Saraki and Ekweremadu to win the election unchallenged.


Ever since, the Senate has been polarised between Saraki’s loyalists under the auspices of Senators of Like Minds and Ahmed’s supporters known as the Unity Forum.


Ahead of the submission of Fowler's name for Senate screening, THISDAY learnt that Tinubu has started reaching out to senators, particularly those in the Senators of Like Minds group loyal to Saraki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).


Until Fowler’s nomination, the position was vacant because the last nominee whose name was sent to the Senate by former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs. Mfon Akpan from Akwa Ibom State following a recruitment exercise, was rejected by the lawmakers.


Concerns that Fowler may suffer the same fate as Akpan has galvanised Tinubu and compelled him to reach out to key senators who are close to Saraki with a view to both resolving the crisis in the Senate in which he is believed to be the sponsor of the Lawan group, and to ensure that the long-drawn out feud in the Senate does not affect other close associates who may be sent to the upper chamber for confirmation for top executive positions.


A source said depending on how Tinubu plays his cards, his overture to the senators could either help to resolve the contending issues between the two groups or deepen the division in the Senate.
But many pro-Saraki senators, particularly the 81 who signed the vote of confidence on the Senate President on July 28 are already spoiling for a fight.


“This is payback time for Asiwaju for all his machinations against the Senate since he could not get his candidate to become Senate President. This is an opportunity to force Tinubu to the table and mend bridges or break them further,” said a senator close to Saraki.


The pro-Saraki senators are also angling to move against Fowler because they believe Tinubu is scheming to take control of the country’s finances under the Buhari administration without the president realising the game plan.


According to a senator from Bauchi State, the plot by the former governor of Lagos State is to get Fowler into FIRS and also make another of his protégés, Mr. Olawale Edun, who served as his Commissioner for Economic Development, to become the Minister of Finance, thereby seizing control of the economic machinery of the government.


Edun, according to the senator who preferred not to be named, will be presented as the ministerial nominee from Ogun State, a development which has pitted Tinubu against Governor Ibikunle Amosun

Amosun is said to have insisted that Edun has never associated with Ogun State and could not be expected to take the biggest federal appointment due to the state.


Many of the senators close to Saraki are said to be getting ready to ensure they use the rejection of Fowler’s nomination as a clear signal that the crisis in the Senate has not been due to the protection of any party supremacy but the political interest of Tinubu.
Sources also disclosed that one other reason that compelled the former Lagos governor to reach out to Saraki’s loyalists is the Babatunde Fashola issue.


While Tinubu does not want his successor to be nominated as minister, Buhari’s body language indicates that he is still not convinced by the ongoing campaign to denigrate Fashola and project him as one who is not good enough for the administration.


Tinubu’s plan, alleged a source, is to stop Fashola during the Senate confirmation hearing in the event Buhari nominates the immediate past governor of Lagos by getting the three senators from the state – Oluremi Tinubu, Gbenga Ashafa and Olamilekan Adeola – to oppose his candidacy.


“He is however afraid that that plan will only work if the Senate President buys into the plan, as Saraki can overrule the objection of the three senators and get majority of the senators to clear Fashola like they did a few months ago for Musiliu Obanikoro when Senator David Mark was Senate President.


“Tinubu particularly believes that Saraki has a soft spot for Fashola and that the two men are associates. The fact that though the Senate President is abroad, he sent his deputy chief of staff, Gbenga Makanjuola, to attend last week’s book launch in honour of Fashola also lends credence to the fear that no plan to stop Fashola will succeed in the Senate except Saraki and his loyalists buy into it,” a senator from Zamfara said.


“There must be a trade-off as we get to the period of ministerial nominations and confirmation hearings. What we do not like is this idea of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.


“Those who need us for their own interests, different from the interest of President Buhari are now making it look like we need them. They have continued to create enmity between the Senate and the presidency. Now, they are playing a different game,” a senator from Delta State said.

Saraki Sends Condolences To Family Of Late Emir

The Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, today, August 18, expressed sadness over the demise of the Emir of Misau, Alhaji Muhammad Manga III.

In a statement by Sanni Onogu, his Chief Press Secretary, in Abuja, Saraki extolled the virtues of the deceased royal father, saying his reign had witnessed peace and development in his immediate domain and the entire Bauchi state.

He said  the Emir left the stage at a time his wise and fatherly counsel were most needed especially in finding a permanent solution to the challenge of insurgency plaguing the North-East and other affected parts of the country.

He urged the people to take solace in the fact that the departed Emir lived a good life and died in the service of his people, having spent over three decades on the throne which he ascended in 1979.

The Senate President commiserated with the Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, Governor of Bauchi state, the immediate family of the deceased, the people of Misau Emirate and the entire people of the state.

He prayed the Almighty Allah to grant the late Emir a place among the righteous ones in Aljannah Firdaus.

Watch Senate President @bukolasaraki's visit to the IDPs in the North East Borno via @youtube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?sns=tw&v=svPHCpgl6a

Just wondering on how some people cook stories i swear-down this story is just a mere lie. Saraki will never say that and none of kwara youths met with him from the last 2weeks till date.. let's not descend wrong informations inorder to satisfy our own personal interest. Kwara is owned by kwarans and not a single person shall dictate even if the person sit on a golden/diamond chair to decide the utmost future of the state.

Crisis Between Tunde Fashola & Bola Tinubu Deepens As Both Camps Declare War



The crisis between two ex-governors of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Mr Babatunde Fashola deepened on Friday with reports that loyalists of both gladiators have drawn up battle plans, even as stakeholders in both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Lagos State are said to have waded in, calling for a truce.

A former member of the Lagos State Executive Council who did not want to be named, told Saturday Tribune on Friday that “some elders are planning a peace meeting between the duo.”

Investigations revealed that forces loyal to Tinubu felt incensed by the statement issued by Fashola on Thursday in which he insinuated that corruption allegations were being pinned on him by those opposed to his getting a federal appointment, a veiled reference to Tinubu and the incumbent governor, Akinwumi Ambode.

“The coming days will be interesting,” an aide to a chieftain of the APC close to both leaders told Saturday Tribune on Friday.

While the Tinubu camp is said to have vowed to fight on, “ to teach the former governor a lesson,” the Fashola side of the divide, according to a source, “is determined to ensure that his integrity is not tainted by those who are jealous of his ascendancy in the polity.”

Both sides, however, on Friday refrained from taking direct shots at each other. Tinubu’s spokesman, Mr Sunday Dare told Saturday Tribune when contacted by phone on Friday afternoon that he had just arrived in the country and would need time to get briefings from his boss before reacting to the statement from Fashola while Ambode’s Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna did not answer repeated calls made to his telephone line.

Dare later sent a text message at 6:30pm that he would call back soon. He did not.

However, an aide of Ambode who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Saturday Tribune that it was too simplistic for anybody to think that the government, headed by Ambode, was behind the ongoing corruption charge campaign against former Governor Fashola in order to rubbish his record of achievements while in office for eight years.

“Ambode is not interested in the smear campaign against Fashola, it is a non- issue. It is too simplistic to suggest that, it is left for people to find out who is doing this. I can tell you that government is not involved. It is not possible for government to have a hand in that.
“The governor is a pragmatic person and ready to move on by restructuring the state,” the close source said.

Fashola is currently in the eye of the storm as a group, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), has dragged him before the anti- graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), calling for his investigation on an alleged scam over a contract for the upgrade of his personal website at a cost of N78million.

The former governor, has, however, set the record straight, declaring that the state government, through the procurement office, did not disclose the details of the website upgrade to include some other aspects making up the entire contracts sum.

Fashola, who denied having children outside wedlock apart from the three he adopted following the DANA plane crash, also denied involvement in the National Assembly crisis, saying that he only landed in the country on the day of the crisis.

This is as Saturday Tribune learnt that Fashola, who served for eight years as governor, might have incurred the wrath of a lot of people within the APC and outside it, some of who felt he was “too arrogant” and now wanted to take their own pound of flesh.

Other sources said Tinubu is determined to block the chances of Fashola from becoming a minister in the yet- to- be formed cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari due to his alleged “new found independence.”

This, according to a source, might have prompted Fashola to declare in his published statement that he was not looking for a job, stressing that “For those who still wish to remain in the mud, they should look in the mirror. For those who wish to throw mud at me, they should look at their own hands. As for me, I have moved on. My job is done,” even as he threw a broadside at his opponents that, “When you wrestle with a pig, the pig gets happy and you get dirty.”

Another source even disclosed that “Tinubu’s supporters could even be the ones fighting back because of the perceived ill- treatment Tinubu suffered at the hands of Fashola while he was governor of the state.”

WHO IS AFRAID OF BUKOLA SARAKI?

I am moved to write this piece after reading an article in the VANGUARD of Thursday, August 6, 2015 by  Is’haq  ModibboKawu titled, “  Bukola  Saraki  in Maiduguri: Tentative first steps for 2019 Presidency”. It is evident that the article reeks of hate and seems aimed at either getting President  Buhari  to regard Saraki  his enemy, or fortifying whatever grievances might exist, if that is the case.

 

Senator Saraki

That is sad, because in no way does that motive contribute to nation-building, and in no way does it help Buhari whom history will ultimately hold responsible for what becomes of Nigeria from May 29, 2015. It is true we are in a democracy and people should have freedom of communication, but I believe we should exercise some self-control in the enjoyment of the freedom. I do not know the author in person or even by reputation, but I bet he seems to have some personal ‘agro’ against  Saraki.

 

I met  Saraki  sometime in 2011 after he became Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Environment. I as well as others in the civil society engaged with environmental issues in Nigeria were pleasantly surprised to be invited by that Committee for interaction.

Saraki sat through the meetings with a note book in which he took copious notes as people made contributions. He also enriched the conversations by asking poignant questions. He was very civilized and we had the impression that he is educated in the real sense.

It was this very positive impression that   Saraki  made upon my colleagues and I that encouraged my organization and others to take a closer look at the state he had just left  as  governor. About that time, some international organizations asked us to  advise  on states towards which they could direct their interest in development activities. From our analysis,  Kwara  was highly recommended. The points that counted for  Kwara  included accessibility by air from Lagos/Ibadan and Abuja, having minimal security challenges, and a very positive civil service and receptive government.

 

I am not sure how much of these were put in place by the governments before   Saraki  became governor of  Kwara State. We subsequently took specific projects into rural communities in the state. Before doing that we approached his  office in the Senate, and were introduced to an officer who took responsibility to lead us into   Kwara. The government of that state received us in a very professional manner.  Kwara  was one of six states in which we unveiled the National Adaptation Strategy on Climate  Change.  During this period, Saraki’s  name resonated so much in urban as well as rural areas of the state.

 

With respect to the article I read which I consider unfair, there are some specific observations to make and I itemize few out of the lot of them as they appear in that article.

 

The first is the title of the article: “Bukola  Saraki  in Maiduguri: Tentative first steps for 2019 Presidency”. My reaction would be that if truly Saraki’s Maiduguri trip is part of his seed planting towards the 2019 presidency of Nigeria, then it is commendable. Nigeria can ill-afford a reluctant President in 2019, or whatever other year for that matter. We’d rather an aspirant that has his sleeves rolled up and is tirelessly working towards actualizing his dream than one that suddenly wakes up one morning in 2019 to tell us that he is running for presidency in response to pressures from his people.   Better to have presidential aspirants with hunger in their bellies and fire in their eyes which are fixed on a faraway goal than have 2019 overnight microwave presidential aspirants that treat the race to our much-cherished  Aso  Rock Presidential Villa like an after-thought.

 

The author had complained about the fact that “…most newspapers carried a syndicated picture of the ‘august visitor’ waving to the IDPs.” To that I ask, is that strange? Isn’t that what you see in governments including more mature democracies? What is wrong with this, one dares ask?

 

The author further  inveighed  that Saraki’s ultimate goal “remains presidency and he can’t even wait for 2019 before beginning to show his hands”. To this I say only a fool interested in 2019 presidency will wait till 2019 to start showing his hands. Is the office of the President of Nigeria not serious enough to warrant long-term thought and work? President  Buhari  provides a good and recent example of a long-distance runner in the presidency race and if, as the writer of that article tried to portray, Saraki’s Maiduguri trip was indeed his first step in a four-year marathon, then it should be a plus, not a minus as the writer inveighed.   People with political ambitions should be encouraged to show their hands early. That way, the society gets them to act with a greater sense of responsibility than might have otherwise been the case.

 

Another difficult assertion to accept is to the effect that the distinguished senator “is fighting a battle against public perception because in many quarters in Nigeria, he has not been able to live down the feeling that he betrayed his party”. To this I say perhaps “many quarters” but certainly not majority of Nigerians share this sentiment. I believe majority of Nigerians prefer inclusive broad-based  governance that reflects the country’s diversity, rather than governments that are highly skewed and based on an ideology of exclusion of sections of the country.

The writer’s anger was revealed the more when he stated that Saraki  “remains defiant and continues to ignore the APC and PMB’s openly expressed preference that APC senators bow to party supremacy; he fills positions with members of his own group, daring the party and PMB to do the worst!” I see this as simply meant to incite. Sensible Nigerians remember President  Buhari’s  statement after the election of the Senate President and Speaker House of Representatives on June 9, 2015. Our much respected President took the view that a constitutional process occurred. He accepted those elected, and said that he did not have any preferred candidates for the Senate and the House of Representatives leadership, and that he was willing to work with whomever the lawmakers elected. The Presidency is a serious office and cannot issue public statements that are meant for nothing. It is an  honourable  office and Nigerians want to believe it ended with that. If the President goes on after that date and that statement to antagonize  Saraki, that is a minus for  Buhari  among  honourable  people. I refuse to believe the hidden insinuation of that writer that our President who is noted point above is another vexatious one which stated that   Buhari  publicly ignored the Senate President at the Abuja  Eid  praying ground. To this I wail, the Nigerian President publicly ignoring the Nigerian Senate President elected within the laws of Nigeria as acknowledged by the Nigerian President! Who loses? Who becomes a smaller man by that, if that was really the case?  Anyway, I doubt that it’s fact.

 

He further asserted that  Saraki  missed the photo-op with President Barack Obama by not accompanying Buhari  to the United States. This can’t be serious. How many times have we seen Senate Presidents going on foreign trips with a country’s President?

That “…Bukola  Saraki, unable to secure an audience with PMB, was corralling the Emir of Ilorin to service to find every opportunity for him to get to see the President.” This is commendable.  He who seeks peace means well.

 

That “…he nevertheless continues to defy the same President and party in respect of the extant problems arising from his demarche on June 9.” Shaking my head in disbelief, I ask: But where is the  proof of defiance to the President? Has Buhari  asked  Saraki  to resign as Senate President? Or is this suggestive of a possibility that the statement issued after the election of  Saraki  as Senate President was not with the knowledge of the President? Is there a crack in the Presidency?

The apparently angry writer complained that  OlisaMetuh  of the PDP had asserted that they were working for  Saraki’s  return to the PDP. Now