₦airaland Forum

Over the years, we hear the names and success-oriented prepotency of great writers who have been mesmerising readers with skilful proficiency whenever they put the pen to work on papers.
 
These professionals are always not only being consulted for their intellectual ascendancy but are also looked up to as models by upcoming writers as well as readers who find pansophy and erudition embedded in their intellectual cuneiform.
 
Nowadays, diverse writers have emerged having multifarious schools of thought all striving to make their mark in the field of journalism and this they hope to achieve by relentlessly rolling-out precocious articles with the use of variegated verbose adjectives to enable them gain quick popularity among the populace seeking to satisfy their intellectual curiosity.
 
Sadly however it is to find out that amongst these youngsters, while some stayed true to their dream of becoming renowned writers like the precedent heroes, others have chosen to be muckrackers; being paid and used as extirpative tools by some influential big-guns to tarnish the reputation of anyone they consider a threat to their self-gratifying ambitions.
 
Noticeably, these muckrackers, (who cook up spurious, fictive and over-exaggerated stories) had created a labelled eyesore known as "yellow journalism" and niche for themselves in this field where they are being terms as "yellow journalists".
 
Surprisingly coupled with this also are the various channels through which they disseminate their befuddled blackmails and hypocritical write-ups. The media (especially the online media) has been a rich source of information; fast and facile to old and young alike, to enable prompt retrieval of desired orientation. But alas, it had been polluted by renegades and paid hatchet writers who use it vehemently to propagate their impulsive scripts.
 
Some media houses in the bid to enlarge their resource contents have allowed all manner of junks to be uploaded into their database not minding if the articles are newsworthy, factual or edifying. Some are also bought over for the promotion of such acts and even some have personal bitterness and acrimony for the hard earned successful reputation of certain individuals.
 
A victim of this résumé is the current Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki who had ever been at the apex of blackmail from the online media known as Saharareporters.
 
Ever since, this online platform had only been interested in publishing negative and defamatory stories on the Sarakis and this escalated when Bukola Saraki became the Senate President. Saharareporters have not rested on their oars but kept rolling-out-and-out diverse vilifying articles aimed at tarnishing the image and personality of the Chairman of the Senate.
 
This media outfit even went as far as befouling his social conscience by saying his innocent and sympathy driven visit to the IDPs of Borno State was a hoax insinuating that his true intention was presidential ambition 2019. As if that was not enough, it now claimed that the senate president is not a Nigerian, simply because he has a UK citizenship certificate. Unbelievable! After successfully completing an eight-year tenure as the Governor of Kwara State, is it now that he isn’t a Nigerian citizen? This kwashiorkor knowledge needs to be brushed up professionally because even someone like me who isn’t a political student knows that Nigeria accepts dual citizenship! I’ve never heard any tribe or race that goes by the name “Bukola” except the Yoruba clan location in the south western geo-political zone of Nigeria.
 
We are all aware of the fire an stiff opposition he had been facing since he became the Senate President with the help and the support of his allies the LikeMind Senators who stood un-swayed for the man they believe would facilitate as well as ensure that the change mantra of the APC and the ambition of President Muhammadu Buhari came to fruition.
 
Senator Saraki's family was not left untouched by Saharareporters as well. The EFCC invited Her Excellency Toyin Saraki the wife of the Senate President for clarification over some activities of some of the companies that were affiliated to her during her husband's tenure back then as the Executive Governor of Kwara State. A woman who is a sound barrister fully versed in the legal franchise responded cooperatively and maturely that as a law abiding citizen she is ready to assist the commission with all readiness to enable them carry out their sound jurisdiction.
 
Immediately the news of the invitation became public knowledge, Saharareporters championed the EFCC invitation, polluting it with diverse negative and slanderous articles and passed judgement freely that she is fraudulent. This media outfit did not only publicize articles but went on publishing photos that were supposed to be confidential to the commission on their website and even made it public knowledge that an official of the commission revealed some of the activities that transpired within the interrogation room which is a sign of un-professionalism on either part. When their excesses became unbearable and they were clogging the twitter timeline of Her Excellency they were blocked and surprisingly they still didn't let sleeping dogs lie but announced to all that they have been blocked!
 
Toyin Saraki who is the founder of The Wellbeing Foundation a foundation aimed fully at improving maternal, newborn and child health was undeterred by all the negative reports on her and went on with her humanitarian deeds and launched a mega outfit known as 'Maternal Monday' to commemorate the #WorldBreastfeedingWeek none of which am sure you all noticed made the headlines in Saharareporters' outlet. For this however, I'm not surprised.
 
I was once a fan and faithful subscriber of this media outfit but I must confess I've been tired out by these incessant attacks on this family who are doing their best in their own capacity to support humanitarian causes but are not being appreciated for it.
 
To the Sarakis I'll say never give up, never back down, stay true to yourselves. Just keep up your good work and you will keep rising to the shame and disgrace of your back-biters and haters for they are not happy with your achievements and enviable height. Hence, they resorted to using the dog-in-the-manger tactics because they know you will never be manipulated or compromise your stand.
 
To Saharareporters and other platforms used to promote negative and injurious stories on certain selected individuals, kindly have a rethink and be the pride and enlightenment source for us the information seekers so we can enhance our knowledge base.
 
To all armchair critics who will criticise anything and everything and label anyone that dares speak against their own unilaterally myopic opinion and biased level of reasoning, please feel very free to start casting the stones since you have no sins. Remember I have the right to my own opinion just as you do.

Credits: Lawal Sharafadeen
Type: OPINION
Date: Aug 13, 2015

Northern Nigeria is an autonomous division within Nigeria, a zone sitting geographically on 719,435 Square Kilometers of land or 79% of Nigeria’s landmass and has around 392 numbers of ethnic groups (North West 54 North Central 123 North East 205) and almost 75 million or 53.6% of Nigeria’s population is no doubt the biggest zone in Nigeria.

So far the zone has gone through the thick and tides of time posing a big treat to its optimal capacity and overall survival.

Several studies carried out to seek an understanding of the numerous challenges ravaging the zone ranging from high illiteracy lever standing at 70%, largest handicap, children immunization against dangerous childhood disease just around 10% and the Boko Haram insurgency.

The Boko Haram insurgency might indeed be termed to be political in its design but the fact that it is been hosted in the North is a big treat.

Question coming to mind is why will the people of the north allow the Boko Haram infest so deep within their habitats? This is simply the result of high illiteracy level in the north. The north is thought religious but the happenings points to an opposite direction. It is really shocking that a region that had produced wonderful Nigeria leader in the past, leaders like Sir Tafa Balewa, Umaru Dikko, Shehu Shagari, Sadauna and many more, so what went wrong to have bestowed such a faith on this region?

Looking deep into the current situation in the north, a careful observer will see a degradation and fallout of gross negligence of some sort by prominent statesman who had allowed the aggressive nature of an average Hausa man escalate too far.

Other regions also play host to some civil unrest such as the Ife and Modakeke fiasco, Offa and Erin-Ile battle and Okene unrest to mention a few but the point of interest in these civil unrest is that all prominent persons such as traditional rulers and politicians whose region were affected immediately starts a cleanup program so that such events are never to be witnessed ever again in the future, they don’t leave things in the hands of faith and pure negligence unlike most northern counterparts.

Series of war has broken out in the northern part of Nigeria, am sure we will remember
-The 2000 Kaduna riots of 21 February-23 May, where around 2,000 –5,000 died and reason is said to be Religious riots between Christians and Muslims over the introduction of sharia law in Kaduna State, start of the religious riots phase of the Sharia Conflict in Nigeria.

-Yelwa massacre of February-May 2004, Yelwa, Shendam and Kano where 975 were reported dead and reason was religiously motivated killings between Christians and Muslims.

2013 Baga massacre of 19-20 April 2013, Baga, Borno and a total of 228 were killed, although Identity of the perpetrators remains unclear; some blame the Nigerian military while others blame the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram
Kaje civil unrest and many other more but after all these civil unrest, there has never been an orientation program or rehabilitation of the victims and the participants, a young boy who saw killings of tens of people in his presence grows up to become a wild animal and worst of it is if he actually participated in the killing.

We shouldn’t have been here if these northern youth had not been exposed to a wild life right from the start of their lives, a visit to the north will amaze once sense of what responsible parenting means in the north, one will see a pack of boys in their early teens popularly called ‘alumagiri’ savaging around all for the purpose of surviving without any close understanding to what ‘good life‘really means nor entails.

Who do we fault for the sorrowful and meaningless life these kids are subjected to? A young boy of age 14 from the north would already had visited 20 state in the country by following truck loads of goods without any real life expectancy.

August 12, 2015 is the World Youth Day and I ask what would the northern youths be celebrating?
Is it the unproductive life they have inherited or the shamble environment they now live in?

The move by the Senate President Bukola Saraki in identifying with the people of the north by his recent visit to the zone and the call on international community to help rebuild the north is a step in the right direction which all stakeholders must take a cue from.

The north needs massive infrastructural development but most importantly mental rehabilitation to guide against another brutal killing sect in the future, we must be ready to capture the traumatized youths and re-orientate them. The negligence of the past is exactly what led to the situation we are in right now.

Why has the north been so marginalized and dusted to the background of mental capacity building where training of highly educated and prosperous youths is energized and channeled to helping their respective environment? This is another area the government must look into by making sure that northern youths are trained to understand the beauty in staying alive and being purposeful and at the same time be productive.

Sadly the north that had once been the economic hub of this great nation is now been ravage by war, poverty illiteracy, diseases, high infant mortality and if the current happenings are not adequately managed to capture the victims, the north might just be a breeding place for a more sophisticated killing machine.

I beg to ask why kids from north shouldn’t adequately be able to compete with kids from the west, south, and east?

IS NORTH NOT NIGERIA?

Lawal Sharafadeen
On twitter: @shewn007

Credits: Lawal

At a time like this in our country where nothing seems to be making any sense at all, problems keep mounting without any hope of solution.

We have the problem of falling oil price, states inability to pay workers and sitting at the middle of it all is the issues of BOKO HARAM.

The issue of BOKO HARAM had seen president Buhari travel to almost 10 countries so just to gather the needed resources to tackle BOKO HARAM.

One must commend the recent visit of the Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki to the IDPs in Maiduguri as a step towards the right direction, the visit which was moved at the floor of the senate by a Senator from the south and was seconded by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekwueremadu who said in his words that no one can quantify the untold hardship, destroy of life and the trauma that follows afterwards which the victims of war undergoes, haven gone though such trauma himself but had to live on hope of a better tomorrow hence it is indeed necessary that the senate visits the IDP.

What feature awaits the kids of the North east who had either lost a single parent or both?

A life without any form of Education or dream for a better life is no life at all. Many of the kids in the developed and peaceful areas have to put in a lot of struggles in other to make anything out of life considering the condition of our country where resources are getting scarce by the day talk less of the kids of north east Nigeria who in time soon will forget any definition of what a good life means. If am asked, i will say that the stage is set for a more brutal BOKO HARAM sect if these kids are not properly managed,

The current situation in the north where education has little priority is envisaged as the main machinery which gave room for exploiting our kids and exploring their hopelessness. Kids who are not in school and not under guidance will easily fall pray of ill acts.

Hopelessness can easily be eradicated through educating these kids and above all showing care and taking the message of hope to them.

We all are products of hope that was given to us by our parents, the society we living in and the exposure we were opportune to have and this is the same parental role the senate president has provided by hi visit to the Maiduguri.

The 7th assembly was at the center of it all but didn’t see it as important to visit the IDP in person to give a message of hope and reassurance that they are not alone but this was not the same for the 8th assembly as the Senate President Sarakis took the message of hope to the north east.

Saraki’s visit was a visit of hope restored for the kids of North East and a reassurance that this government lead by president Buhari would be supported by all tears of government to see the end of Boko Haram.

The hope that the senate president had been able to establish in the hearths of these kids will go a long way in putting an end to any recruitment of young boys the sect may be orchestrating.

We must also not forget the financial support of a total sum of 10 million naira given by the Senate President to the IDP and this also will provide a cushion of some sort at least for the time being,

Nigeria is for all of us and the visit of the senate president has been nothing nut leadership by example that all of us must emulate regardless of our political status or affiliation.

God bless us all.

Credits: Wodah Sunday

Since the Boko Haram insurgency began ravaging the north-eastern part of Nigeria, many high-level government officials have stayed away from visiting the area due to the immense security risk involved. However, in recent times, in order to demonstrate that the ‘Change’ mantra of the ruling party, under this Buhari-led dispensation, is in full effect, many All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders have made it their duty to defy the security threats in the North East. Many of them, like Vice-President Osibanjo, and Senate President BUKOLA SARAKI, have made it their duty to visit the area to assure their fellow countrymen and women – who are now referred to as Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) – that they are not alone.

On Monday, August 3rd, I read that the Senate President, DR ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI, lead a delegation to Borno, Maiduguri. The delegation, which was made up of his colleagues and some of his aides, visited the epicenter of the Boko Haram insurgency.

The purpose of the visit, as explained by Dr. SARAKI, was to send a clear and loud signal to the IDPs that in their present tribulation, their legislators – particularly those in the upper legislative chamber in Abuja – were still with them. Dr. SARAKI further reassured the IDPs and the people of Maiduguri who have been affected that the activities of Boko Haram, that he and his colleagues would do everything necessary to support them.
Additionally, Dr. SARAKI stressed that he would be relentless in ensuring that the Nigerian armed forces have all available resources to ensure that not only ensure the safety of the people of the North East, but to bring the Boko Haram insurgents to justice.

Dr. SARAKI’s visit was also aimed at generating a message of hope and optimism, against the backdrop of the overwhelming situation that many of the IDPs have found themselves in. It was for this reason that he took the time to motivate and joke around with the adult IDPs, while also playing with the children in the camps. To round off his visit, Dr. SARAKI also made a personal donation of N10 million for the upkeep of the IDPs in the facilities visited.

The Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shetima, who accompanied Dr. SARAKI’s delegation on the visit to the IDP camps, appealed to the Senate President to ensure that his state and other affected neighbouring states receive special legislative attention. He said that such attention from lawmakers and other decision makers would be necessary to ensure that the North Eastern region once again becomes habitable by vibrant Nigerians.

Governor Shettima further narrated the ordeal of his people since the unrest started, while also thanking the Senate delegation for daring to be different – as this was the first such official delegation by the Senate in the six years of the crisis.

Throughout the daylong visit, the faces and actions of the people demonstrated that they were aware that those in the corridors of power had not forgot them. Many of them sang songs of praise, and glowed with anticipation of the dividends that the Senate President’s visit would produce, once he returned to Abuja.
At a point of the visit, Governor Shettima could not hold back his tears. He spoke like a man who felt like the rest of the nation was not giving his State the type of support that the situation clearly desired – the type of support that would probably have been given if the crisis had occurred in other parts of the country. Senator SARAKI was also clearly moved – as demonstrated by his tweets. He later recapped on the experience by saying: “It is very emotional to see over 2600 children made orphans by Boko Haram at Dalori IDP Camp. We will leave no stone unturned to address this.”

Although, few naysayers have attempted to play down on the significance of SARAKI’s visit, it is however clear that the Borno people are tired of feeling neglected and appreciate the visit by the leadership of the Senate. In the eyes of the children, as many as 4000 who have been orphaned by the activities of Boko Haram, I saw hope of a better Nigeria. They clearly do not long for our pity, but they hope for our support to defeat the menace, and restore their homes.

The Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar, who also received the Senate delegation during the course of their visit, also decried the electricity situation in the State. The Shehu mentioned that this problem, compounded with the insurgency makes his people feel abandoned. He said that with about two million people taking refuge in the ancient town of Maiduguri, the lack of electricity opens the people to increased dangers of surreptitious attacks. The Shehu mentioned that he was hopeful that with the visit by the Senators, this concern would be addressed shortly.
All in all, the visit by the Senate President and his delegation to Maiduguri cannot go unmentioned as it represents that Dr. SARAKI and his colleagues are willing to use their capacity as lawmakers to make positive changes in the life of the people – regardless of ethnic, religious and gender considerations of the affected people.

Indeed the step by Senator SARAKI and the entire delegation is a step in the right direction to show that the APC-led 8th Senate, is definitely different and above what we witnessed in the previous years.

Credits: Ridwan Omooba

Unarguably, prior to March 28, 2015 Presidential election, Nigeria was at the brim of collapsing owing to series of financial and political atrocities committed and incited respectively by the last administration in the country. Those sad experiences by Nigerians which still longer till now, therefore were responsible for the voluntary accepted of APC and wholly sweeping of PDP across the country. Conversely, the June 9emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as the President of the Senate and Chairman of 8th National Assembly still remains a nightmare to many Nigerians who believe the unopposed emergence was brought about by uncourteous means which are not exclusive of pitching the tent the already pinned PDP and being in defiance to his party, APC. Many criticisms had been witnessed hitherto from the caucus of one of the front runners for the coveted seat of the Senate Presidency and Senator representing Yobe north Senatorial District, Senator Ahmed Lawan who along with his Senate Unity Forum believed there was a constitutional gyp in the election that gave birth to Senator Bukola Saraki as the President of the 8th Senate.

These kookaburra cry from the Senator Ahmed lawan senatorial caucus was said to have been engineered by a self acclaimed leader of the party whom many believe, gave birth to the current political imbroglio that is being witnessed in the National assembly. The main factor that caused the current crisis in the National Assembly as seen by many Nigerians is the widespread of impunity, corruption and impositions of candidates by some of the leaders who wanted APC operates in a synonymous modus operadis of PDP which resulted in their political funeral in the March 28, 2015.

A place where more than 170 million people are being represented shouldn’t be a dally avenue where time are being wasted only for a voluptuous pleasures that will have a zero impact on the lives of the people they are representing, that is the voiceless constituents. By this crucial point in time when the country is going through lingering crisis in the economy, Nigerians expect the National Assembly to have passed bills that are critical to addressing the enormous economic challenges facing the whole of Nigeria, but some of the Senators loyal to Senator Ahmed Lawan and that self acclaimed leader of APC are busy trying to disrupt Senate Businesses, all in the name of fighting for political dominance. Of course the very rational ones among them who had no satanic agenda in their game of wit had since made a U-turn and accepted the God’s written destiny of Saraki.

The Senator Ahmed lawan and his aggrieved cohorts who ought to make peaceful way of reconciliation but busy hitting the polity at National Assembly should in Nigerians’ interest halt such barbaric antics. They should be reminded that our democracy has graduated beyond their parochial thoughtfulness. Meanwhile, the prima facies and all court cases being filed by the aggrieved senators as announced by the ladida spokesman of the group, Senator Kabir Marafa should be abolished and working together with the leaderships and principal offices of the house in delivering its promises to Nigerians they are representing. That’s if they are true representatives of their constituents. The outstanding performance of Senator Bukola Saraki within the little time spent is the exhibition of competency his supporters across all the parties saw in him as a reason for their support for him. He is truly a performer who always want governance felt at the grassroot.

It is worth resounding to the ears of deaf lawmakers and political leaders that Nigeria is bigger than any so called individual. So, godfatherism is allowed in politics when justly used without egoistic interests or reckless ambitions that may have adverse effect as against the wish of the masses. Imposition of candidates in a country where there are different tribes, languages and countless culture shouldn’t be encouraged and this is one of the conundrum causes of the present swirling turmoil in the national assembly which are in turn drying the aggressive change we all yearned for. Sen. Lawan and his supporters should in Nigeria’s interest pocket their selfish interest and put Nigeria first. A better Nigeria all the way.

According to Jean jacqueau rosseu which says and i quote “the strongest man is never strong enough to be master all the time, unless he transforms force into actions and obedient into duty.” These is a vital call to the leadership of the National Assembly in delivering his promises to the masses by passing critical reforms in the areas of Education, infrastructure, security and majorly the lingering crisis of the economy.

Once again I want to urge Senator Ahmed lawan Co aggrieved senators to letting peace reign by working and joining hands together with the leadership of the house in taking and leading Nigerians to the highest heights of achievable developments.

Resolution remains the very ground of dispute by eliminating or transforming the conflict situations to a peaceful directions.

Credits: Saka Olawale

Before the emergence of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as the President of the 8th National Assembly it was a strict contest between Senator Bukola Saraki and Senator Ahmad Lawan, a Senator representing Yobe North Federal Constituency of Yobe State. The election was conducted on the floor of senate on June 9, 2015 and Senator Bukola Saraki emerged as the Senate president of the 8th Assembly.

At this dire time, Nigeria needs a National Assembly that is capable of making laws that will change our old ways of governance. Our new leaders in the National Assembly are expected to make laws that will reinvent good governance, through probity, accountability, rule of law and respect for human rights. Hence, the emergence of Bukola Saraki as the Senate President of the 8th National Assembly was as a result of his optimum competency for the job. Saraki’s positive criticisms and contributions towards the 7thAssembly paved way for him as law maker in the upper chamber, because many of his colleagues believed that he was competent enough to saddle the affairs of the 8th National Assembly.

The Boko Haram insurgency, which began in 2009, when the rebel group started an armed rebellion against the government of Nigeria has claimed the lives of thousands. The violence escalated dramatically in 2014, leaving Maiduguri in Borno state is the epicenter of Boko Haram’s activities.

Over the years, Boko Haram has spread and caused a lot of damage and carnage in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, which has left several thousands of people displaced, abducted, kidnapped, wounded, orphaned, sexually abused, or forced into marriages. Former President Goodluck Jonathan did all he could to curb the menace, however his administration was unable to fight the insurgency to a standstill.

On Monday, the 3rd of August 2015, the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki led a Senate delegation to Maiduguri in Borno State. Several IDP camps were visited on that day, as the primary aim of the visit was to bring hope to the people of Maiduguri, and report back to the Senate that urgent legislative action needed to be taken.

During the visit, Saraki said: “We have come to feel your pains and hear what you have been going through firsthand. We have come to try to understand the severe bloody struggle that 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 President further highlighted the fact that he could not in good conscience sit back in Abuja, while claiming to understand the level of work that needed to be done. He further promised that this new Senate, under the leadership of the Buhari-led federal government, would rather come to see things for themselves, in order to proffer a lasting solution to the menace and rehabilitation efforts.

Over the years that the insurgency has spread across the North East region, past senate leaderships never even tried to pay formal visits to the North Eastern region – this is because of the security risks involved. In this regard, Bukola Saraki’s giant step in leading a delegation of other Senators to Maiduguri is commendable, as this will go a long way in bringing hope to the internally displaced people.

Although negative opinion writers have claimed that Saraki’s visit to Maiduguri is as a preparation to make himself a potential presidential candidate in 2019. Bukola Saraki’s visit to Maiduguri did not connote anything political, but showed that its all about striving to understand a problem, before attempting to solve it.

In 2013, as the Chairman Senate committee on Environment and Ecology, Bukola Saraki visited Zamfara for #savebagega – when the entire Bagega area and all the other villages of Zamfara state. Since that visit, following the work of his committee, the area which had been ravaged by lead poisoning has now become fully remediated.

Additionally, Saraki went to Ogoniland on the issue of the cleanup of extensive oil spillages, to ensure that the environmental degradation in the Niger Delta was dealt with. All these visitations was to get job done and not politically inclined.

All in all, the visit by the Senate President and his delegation to Maiduguri cannot go unmentioned as it represents that Senator Saraki and his colleagues are willing to use their capacity as lawmakers to make positive impacts in the life of the people – regardless of ethnic, religious and gender considerations.

Indeed the step by Senator Saraki and the entire delegation is a step in the right direction. This has shown that the APC-led 8th Senate, is definitely making great moves on proffering lasting solutions to the Boko Haram menace which has been the plight of the people in the North East.

Credits: Baba Idris

Since Nigeria got her independence in 1960, we have witnessed eras and reigns of different political titans and military dictators who have helped forge the Nigeria that we see today. The Nigeria that we see today, has been the effort of the many successes and failiures of our leaders – dead or alive.

We have witnessed military coups before the stability of our democracy in 1999, when Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar handed over to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. This handover laid the foundation of a new democratic system of government which is why we have been able to sustain our democracy till date.

The 1999 democratic foundation has given birth to many historical tales as we have witnessed several political games of chess – where ascending or descending of any political stalwart is dependent on how far one can think, while the other players on the board are making their next moves.

We have also witnessed the sane and insane maneuvers in our national game of thrones, but most importantly, we have seen our own common sense revolution in the just concluded general elections and, the June 9 National Assembly  and House of Representative elections that produced President Muhammadu Buhari as the President of Nigeria, Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki as Senate President, and the Rt. Honourable, Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker

These elections were undeniably triumphs favored by the common sense revolution of the Nigerian people, who had been pegged against an era of political impunity and cabalism that worked to decay our national progression.

All Nigerians today, can be proud that we are living witnesses of a new era that will ultimately be characterized by a shared commonwealth, as opposed to the carelessness exhibited in past – especially by the past members of Nigerian legislative arm, who spent carelessly at the expense of destitute Nigerians. Surprisingly, what we are witnessing in the 8th Assembly today is the confirmation of this commonsensical way of solving problems.

Barely three months into the emergence of Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki as the President of the Senate and Chairman of the 8th Assembly, we have begun to see radical changes and depatures from business-as-usual, despite all the traumatic pre-election and post-election collisions that he had with some lawmakers in his party.

Dr. Saraki who is widely known as a detribalized leader, and a dogged advocate of justice and equity, and a living epitome of service to humanity, has worked assiduously to ensure that the principle of federal character which allows for an even representation of each Geo-political zone at the central is kept in place.

Needless to say, Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari, has experienced a positive jolt in the issues of governance. Additionally, it is clear that the current Senate under Dr. Saraki, in the few days that he has in office as the Senate President cannot be written off when compared to the Senate Presidents we have had in the past. This is because Dr. Saraki is giving meaning to leadership of the Senate, and showing us what leadership entails by not just sitting down in office to legislate but taking the time to be part of issues to be legislated upon. To  many Nigerians, including myself, Dr. Saraki has seen days like today coming, and as such, has been duly prepared for it.

In the past, Dr. Saraki has worked to be a responsive and responsible Senator, who has never gone incommunicado from his constituents and the Nigerian people. He has created an accessible means of communication on social media long, and the effectiveness of his twitter handle and timely updates after every plenary has made him the first Nigerian Senator to be verified by twitter. Apart from all these, many people oriented bills and initiatives like the #SaveBagega campaign and the #CleanCookStoves initiatives have been sponsored and co-cosponsored.

Despite the in-house political Drama that marred the election of the 8th Assembly, Dr. Saraki has shown the capacity of being a true leader by leaving the past behind to embrace peace and focus on the legislative matters for the benefit of Nigerians. This has reflected in his leadership style in all the committees recently constituted to satisfy all factions in the interest of Nigerians. Notably, Sen. Babajide Omoworare, who represents Osun East Senatorial district, who was a strong supporter of Sen. Lawan has been appointed as the Chairman Senate Committee on Rules and Business. This appointment has fostered unity and restored the yearning peace in the Senate.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed like every other Nigerian that, Sen. Lawan turned down his nomination as part of the delegation set up by the Senate President to visit the troubled Northeast to show solidarity to the internally displaced people in their various camps .

For example, in the heat of the insurgency in Nigeria, we have hardly found leaders that have summed up the courage to visit the affected areas, not to talk of donating cash or kind to victims. However, to our surprise, the Senate President of the 8th Assembly led delegates to the North East a few days ago to make the people of Boko-Haram ravaged parts feel they are not alone in the fate that has befallen them.

Conclusively, the patriotism and competency which has favored the rise success of Senator Saraki, has manifested in his track record so far. He is a perfect compliment in the legislature to President Buhari’s ‘Change’-centered agenda. These men, are leading by example, and setting examples by leading. This is despite the fact that the naysayers have been loud and boisterous, yet, they (Buhari and Saraki) still demonstrate their positive change through their actions.

Credits: Lawal

At a time like this in our country where nothing seems to be making any sense at all, problems keep mounting without any hope of solution.

We have the problem of falling oil price, states inability to pay workers and sitting at the middle of it all is the issues of BOKO HARAM.

The issue of BOKO HARAM had seen president Buhari travel to almost 10 countries so just to gather the needed resources to tackle BOKO HARAM.

One must commend the recent visit of the Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki to the IDPs in Maiduguri as a step towards the right direction, the visit which was moved at the floor of the senate by a Senator from the south and was seconded by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekwueremadu who said in his words that no one can quantify the untold hardship, destroy of life and the trauma that follows afterwards which the victims of war undergoes, haven gone though such trauma himself but had to live on hope of a better tomorrow hence it is indeed necessary that the senate visits the IDP.

What feature awaits the kids of the North east who had either lost a single parent or both?

A life without any form of Education or dream for a better life is no life at all. Many of the kids in the developed and peaceful areas have to put in a lot of struggles in other to make anything out of life considering the condition of our country where resources are getting scarce by the day talk less of the kids of north east Nigeria who in time soon will forget any definition of what a good life means. If am asked, i will say that the stage is set for a more brutal BOKO HARAM sect if these kids are not properly managed,

The current situation in the north where education has little priority is envisaged as the main machinery which gave room for exploiting our kids and exploring their hopelessness. Kids who are not in school and not under guidance will easily fall pray of ill acts.

Hopelessness can easily be eradicated through educating these kids and above all showing care and taking the message of hope to them.

We all are products of hope that was given to us by our parents, the society we living in and the exposure we were opportune to have and this is the same parental role the senate presiden has provided by hi visit to the Maiduguri.t
 
The 7th assembly was at the center of it all but didn’t see itr as important to visit the IDP in person to give a message of hope and reassurance that they are not alone but this was not the same for the 8th assembly as the Senate President Sarakis took the message of hope to the north east.

Saraki’s visit was a visit of hope restored for the kids of North East and a reassurance that this government lead by president Buhari would be supported by all tears of government to see the end of Boko Haram.

The hope that the senate president had been able to establish in the hearths of these kids will go a long way in putting an end to any recruitment of young boys the sect may be orchestrating.

We must also not forget the financial support  of a total sum of 10 million naira given by the Senate President to the IDP and this also will provide a cushion of some sort at least for the time being,

Nigeria is for all of us and the visit of the senate president has been nothing nut leadership by example that all of us must emulate regardless of our political status or affiliation.

God bless us all.

When the Senate president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki touched down in Maiduguri the Borno State capital, not many envisaged that this will be more than the ‘usual’ visit with its characteristic political glamour often used to score cheap points at the expense of the unsuspecting host.

This visit was different, at the announcement of the trip to Borno many senators who were already fed up with the drama that engulfed the chambers for weeks were eager to get on the list to kick-start their legislative duties but unfortunately, Senator Bukola Saraki had to constitute an 8-man senate committee with priority given to Senators from the troubled states indicating an end of the previous era where issues on Northeast insurgency’s were treated with kids gloves by its leadership.

The Senate delegation were warmly received by the people of Borno and immediately, they proceeded to the Internally Displaced People’s camp across the state capital and the outcome was a renewed hope.

The visit soon turned out remarkable being the first by the leadership of the senate since the Boko haram insurgency broke out in the northern part of the country in 2009.

Interestingly, the atmosphere was unusually electric as the sleepy town of Maiduguri once again came to live. The children numbering over 4,000 camped across various IDPs were displaced from their original habitat majorly from the neighboring countries as a result of the expanding activities of the terrorist sect. This historical visit became one of such these children were desirous of and denied by past government whose premises upon their long neglect holds no water.

Bukola Saraki and his delegation gave the children a renewed hope, the type that will bring an end to their plight while given them a sense of belonging in the larger society.

The smiles on the adults and children’s faces, never seen before symbolises a flick of tranquility; they were at peace with themselves and wished that moment never came to an end. The video clips of the IDPs camp visit sums up the death of all fears; a pure delight to watch displaced children, grown men and mothers reunite in raw happiness.

While the visit may have ended, the true significant of the trip has started to yield much dividends. Asides the 10million naira donated personally by the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki to some IDPs, there are already plans underway to enact laws that will assist the government and people of Borno State in the quest to crush the Boko Haram uprising. For many people, this will be seen as a first major genuine effort by the leadership of the green chamber to fully support the federal government to combat terror. It will be recalled that previous efforts by the past government to effectively fight boko haram were futile with cases of high profile corruption among the service chiefs.

As it stands, the population in IDP’s camp is exploding as more areas in the northeast becomes vulnerable to boko haram attacks thereby leading to an increase in out-of-school children who are within the schooling age. The move by the Senate presidency to support the welfare of displaced people is a major lifeline in the scheme of events, while more of such concerted efforts are being required by organizations and international bodies to help eliminate growing cases of abuse within the camps by co-displaced persons and security agents.

Wale Bakare writes from Lagos
07030052445.

Simply, Jagaban's handwork.

I don't believe all these that Saharareporters are saying here. The EFCC can't divulge any information out until it has proved someone guilty or otherwise. This report that she was "UNPREPARED FOR THEIR QUESTIONS" just didn't go down well with me though.

If u have no sin then cast the first stone. Until proven guilty we can't draw conclusions na. Keep calm and allow the commission carry out its duty.

By Senator David Umaru

Under the Penal Code Act, forgery is defined in section 362 thus:“

a person is said to make a false document if:

a. who dishonestly or fraudulently makes signs, seals or executes a document or part of a document with the intention of causing it to be believed that the document or part of a document was made, signed, sealed or executed by or by the authority of a person by whom or by whose authority he knows that it was not made, signed, sealed or executed or:

b. who without lawful authority dishonestly or fraudulently by cancellation or otherwise alters a document in a material part thereof after it has been made or executed either by himself or by any other person whether such person be living or dead at the time of the alteration or,

It further went on to state in Section 366 that fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine any document which he knows or has reason to believe to be a forged document, shall be punished in the same manner as if he had forged such document

The business of the senate is guided by the Senate standing order. However, under the 2011 standing rules, order 110 provides for the amendment of the Senate standing order. It provides thus;

1. Any Senator desiring to amend any part of the Rules or adding any new clauses shall give notice of such amendments in writing to the president of the Senate giving details of the proposed amendments.

2. The President of the Senate shall within seven working days of the receipt of the notice, cause the amendments to be printed and circulated to members. Thereafter, it shall be printed in the Order Paper of the Senate.

3. The Move or Movers of the amendment shall be allowed to explain in details the proposed amendments; thereafter the Senate shall decide by simple majority votes whether the amendments should be considered or rejected.

4. If the decision is to consider the amendments, then another date shall be set aside by the Rules and Business Committee whereby opportunity would be given to Senators to further propose amendments but must strictly be confined to the original amendments.

5. Two-thirds majority shall decide the amendments and such amendments shall form part of the Rule of the Senate.

Order 111 provides that business must continue from session to session. It states that the Legislative business of the Senate which remains undetermined at the close of a session of the Senate shall be resumed and proceeded with in same manner as if no adjournment of the Senate had taken place; and all papers referred to committees and not reported upon at the close of a session of the Senate shall be returned to the office of the Clerk of the Senate when they shall be returned to several Committees to which they had previously been referred.

In the instant case with respect to the present 2015 Standing Order, it had always been the practice (convention) of the Senate that upon the completion of the four years life span of the Senate, the rules elapses and new rules are used to govern the activities of the incoming Legislature. However, while the 2011 standing rules provides for the procedure for amendment of the 2011 Standing Order, it is silent on the revision of the new standing order for the incoming legislature. That is to say that any procedure of amendment stated in the 2011 standing order is limited to the life span of that Legislature and does not in anyway affect the regulation of activities for the incoming Legislature.

in addition, Senators where giving the 2015 Standing Order prior to the election of the Senate President and nobody raised any issue in this regard. The Fraud allegation is frivolous and an attempt to embarrass and bring the Senate to disrepute. Therefore, assuming without conceding that the 2015Senate standing order was forged, it goes to reason that Senators who have been using using these rules to regulate their activities and still went ahead to lay a report of forgery are also culpable by virtue of section 366.

WHO THEN REVISES THE STANDING ORDER?

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is silent on such matters, in fact the 2011 Standing Order is also silent on this issue. It goes to reason that where there is a lacuna, the Management of the National Assembly is saddled with this responsibility since the Clerk of the National Assembly is the Chairman of the National Assembly in the absence of a Senate president (there shouldn’t be any vacuum). Therefore he should be saddled with the responsibility of providing the rules and regulations that would govern the incoming Legislature which maybe subject to ratification.

CONCLUSION

From the foregoing, it can be validly concluded that a case of forgery cannot stand. This is because from the definition of forgery above, the following are the elements of the offence;

1. Making of a false document or writing knowing same to be false
2. With intention that such document maybe acted upon as genuine
3. Causing another to act or refrain from acting upon the alleged false document believing that such document is genuine.

It goes to reason that for there to be a forged document, there must be a genuine document. How then do we determine that the 2015 Senate Rules is forged or fake when the Senate 2011 standing Rules has become spent with effluxion of time and no longer exists? The 2015 Rules remains unimpeachable and the allegation of forgery in respect thereof is “much ado about nothing!

SENATOR DAVID UMARU

(Niger East Senatorial District)

Credits: Paul Obi in Abuja

The controversy trailing the invitation of the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Toyin Saraki by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday took another dimension as the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) distanced itself from the petition, arguing that the signatures of its members were forged.

According to the Kwara State chapter of the PDP and its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Olawoye, whose imprints the controversial petition to the EFCC bore as the authors, monday dissociated themselves from it.

In a chat with journalists, Olawoye said neither him nor PDP had anything to do with the petition accusing Toyin of money laundering as the first lady of Kwara State.

He added that his signature on the petition was forged, while the authorship credited to PDP was purely an impersonation.

Olawoye explained that PDP in the state had called an emergency meeting to discuss the forgery and fashion ways out, on how to redress the situation.

The party spokesperson stated that it was high time the party tamed the monster of forgery and impersonation that certain people are always dragging it into, in the politics of the state, adding that the current situation was the second time such would be rearing its head.
Senator Joseph Waku had alleged that former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, of being behind the petition, stating that, “I also discovered from my findings in EFCC that the so-called petition against Mrs Saraki was personally given to Lamorde by Tinubu under the guise that he was submitting the petition on behalf of the APC leadership to punish Saraki for working against the party’s leadership on the choice of National Assembly leaders.”

But speaking to journalists, Olawoye said: “I have nothing to do with the petition. You know over time, I have built myself certain level of reputation because I am almost 30 years in the business of politicking. They just wanted to use a credible name, that is the truth and nothing but the truth. What happened is that there are some people in the corner of their room who wrote the petition and put my name on it and the media bought it.

“There was never any time as the publicity secretary of the party that I endorsed or authorised that any petition should be sent to EFCC. That was not the first time they would write, there was a time they wrote that our party and particularly me as the spokesperson wrote that the governor of Kwara State used only N1.5 billion of the package from the fedearal government for salaries and carted away about N2 billion.

“Then I decided to allow sleeping dog lie but now that they are doing it again, it is time for me to react. Media managers should try to authenticate sources of information and clear with such sources before using such information. When names are mentioned, media houses should verify with such persons to get to the heart of the matter truthfully.

“I am saying emphatically that PDP and I have nothing to do with this petition. There could be people with scores to settle with the senate president or his family and writing in a corner against them, but for us in PDP in Kwara, we consider as golden, politics without bitterness and we believe that there is no permanent enemy in politics.

Olawoye said: “Even in Nigerian politics, you can see that there is no permanent enemy again. When it is time for us to go out as a credible opposition to this government, we would come out. When the government is taking anti-developmental steps, we would come out against them but we won’t malign anyone’s character and we won’t allow anyone to use our names to damage anyone. When you have the courage to write such petition, you should have the bravery and audacity to stand by it.
“This morning the caucus of the party is meeting to fish out the writer and decide what to do about him.”

Culled from: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/toyin-saraki-s-probe-our-signatures-were-forged-says-kwara-pdp/215844/

The Kwara Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) has condemned an allegation that it initiated the invitation of the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Oluwa Toyin Saraki by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The party’s Publicity Secretay, chief Rex Olawoye who made this condemnation in llorin on Monday while speaking with newsmen said such insinuations is uncalled for.

He described the allegation which was credited to him as baseless and plans of desperate and dubious individuals who aimed at tarnishing the opposition’s party image.

Olawoye condemned the story tagged “PDP Petition Led to Toyin Saraki’s Arrest”, adding that the story was fabricated by unknown people, explaining that the party never wrote any petition to EFCC against Toyin saraki.

Reacting to another report credited to him that Kwara state government has received three billion naira from federal government and used one billion naira to settle workers salary, he said such reports are just geared towards bringing his name and that of his party in dirty waters.

Culled from: http://www.kwara247.com/kwara-pdp-denies-initiating-invitation-of-toyinsaraki-by-efcc/

DETAILS emerged on Sunday that the decision of the leadership of the National Assembly to effect changes in the Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as amended) was in conformity with precedence and the tradition of the Assembly to regulate its own procedure as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.

Sources close to the National Assembly on Sunday said it would be a misnomer to allege forgery in the alterations, as the Rule Book was printed by the management, following the approval for the printing of the new rules ahead of the inauguration.
A source said the process was in conformity with the tradition set in 1999, where the management prepared the rule books for the Senate and the House.

The source said what the management did was more or less a draft of the Rule Book and that the new Senate has the power to adopt it entirely or propose further amendments in the course of the session.

According to the source, an officer in one of the Senate standing committees, the leadership was covered by precedent in printing the 2015 orders.

The Rule Book that has been amended by the different chambers since the commencement of democracy in 1999 were written in 1998 by the management of the National Assembly, based on international best practices and the rule books of national Assemblies of countries like Canada, Australia, Germany, United States and the United Kingdom.

It was gathered that the current leadership felt the need to effect some changes in the rules to make it in conformity with the yearnings of many senators during parliamentary delegations and induction courses.

“Most of the issues reflected in the induction courses held for the senators in April 2015 after the elections were reflected in the amendment.
“The amendment also encapsulated the report of the last Senate Committee on Rules and Business headed by Senator Ita Enang, which dwells on issues of proper representation of senators at committees and the federal character,” the source said.

He wondered why the police were called in to interfere in the affairs of the National Assembly, which is an independent arm of government.
“What was presented to the lawmakers was actually a draft Rule Book and it was meant to be adopted by the Senate.

“The Senate adopted it on June 24, when Senator Bukola Saraki hit the gavel on it. He ruled Senator Kabir Marafa out of order on his question as to the differences between the 2011 Rule book and that of 2015 and Saraki said the Rule Book adopted for the new session is the 2015 order.
“Senator Ike Ekweremadu also said on the floor on June 24 that each Senate comes up with its own rules as seen in the adopted rules of 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011,” the source in the National Assembly said.

He added that Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution guaranteed the powers of the National Assembly to regulate its own procedure, adding that such powers included the power to change its rules and adopt same on the floor.

Another source close to the National Assembly legal department said the management reflected the yearnings of most senators who had clamoured for equal representation, while also bringing the rule book up to date on voting procedure.

He said the rule book became effective when the chambers adopted it, adding that this was done on June 24.

“With the adoption of the Rule Book on June 24, it would be a misnomer to indicate that there was forgery to the rules. The management only proposed amendments which the Senate adopted as its Rule for 2015.

“The Ita Enang committee in the last Senate also reflected most of the new amendments. Though that Senate did not consider the report, Senator Marafa raised the matter on the floor of the Senate on June 24 and his point of order was ruled out of order by the Senate President, who announced that the 2015 rule has been adopted.

“From 1999 to 2015, there is no time the executive got involved in the Senate standing rules and it appears they are crossing the line. The police cannot tell a lawmaking body the law to make for itself,” he said.

Finally it seems the fiasco that started in National Assembly due to election of Saraki and Dogara as Senate President and speaker seems to be coming to an end.

This became clear following developments that happened earlier in the week. In House of Rep members loyal to the gbajabiamila camp said they will consider an offer made by Dogara to give home of the supporters of Gbajabiamila the chance to become majority leader provided the person is from North West the zone that provided the most Representatives.

Similarly, the Unity forum Senators loyal to Senator Lawan seems to be warming up to Saraki as Senate President as Senator Shehu Sani who was one of the frontline supporters of Lawan in the days leading to the election yesterday Friday July 24th represented the Senate President.

Reactions from Nigerians shows clearly that indeed Nigerians want this fracas at the National Assembly behind them and want to see the law makers get down to work to enact legislations that will affect the life's of Nigerians

Source: Dailyindependent
By Agency Reporter
Friday July 24, 2015

Is it not weird and disturbing that rather than put the interest of the nation uppermost by applying the immense potential of the Nigerian Senate to the hilt, we are at each other’s throat on the inconsequential matter of why DR BUKOLA SARAKI should not be Senate President and why Senator Ike Ekweremadu from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP ought not to be his deputy? Just when we thought we had the change we desired after being forced with different shades of the same color for 16 years, some citizens are foisting on us needless distractions about the ineligibility of the Senate President simply because he is said not to be the choice of the party in power, All Progressives Congress (APC).

We should handle this matter with extreme care so it does not get out of hand to topple the noble vision of APC and deny us the much needed skills and experience of SARAKI. If all we do in tackling this issue is to personalise it by putting SARAKI at its center, APC shall be destroying its goodwill and rubbishing its national mandate. To harp on a so-called pursuit of disciplining its erring lawmakers as some of the party hawks are insisting is a lack of understanding of the balance between national interest and party supremacy.

There are stages of policy and diplomacy evolution when party gives way to patriotic instincts. And there are events that dictate that party surrender its stand to the state. No nation in modern times since the advent of party politics allows party sentiments to subdue its corporate essence. Of course this is not to diminish the role of the party to the point of instigating a revolt. No!

But what we must note is that we are unwittingly giving scant attention to the time we are wasting in not addressing the core of the matter. This core is that the legislature is the hub of representative democracy. If you have a robust legislative house, you will have an equally robust executive to administer the country. This would trickle down to engendering a strong social, judicial and economic superstructure. Why? The chamber of the lawmakers is where you brew an enduring canon of good governance that drives society and development.

The president is only symbolic of the spirit of government. The legislative arm is the pilot of the system, wheeled by a conscientious judiciary and an impartial and fearless media. Remove the legislator or neutralize him and the whole system corrupts, collapses, crashes, dies.

And judging from what has taken place, the business of government has been mired in the mud of the unnecessary quarrel over the headship of the National Assembly. President Muhammadu Buhari appears hesitant to present his cabinet to the Senate led by a man over whom his party is split. Yet the wise and popular counsel is that APC should move on and allow SARAKI to work in the interest of the nation which also in the long run is in the interest of the party. For if things go wrong and the APC fails to deliver on account of this selfish partisan bickering, the party would have betrayed the historic mandate the people gave it. That would amount to political irresponsibility of the highest order.

However there is a plus side to the whole affair. SARAKI, the man in the centre, is unfazed by what is going on. He has hit the ground running. As the leader of Nigeria’s 8th Senate, he has set an agenda that accommodates the architecture of change of the governing party. He made this clear during various meetings he held with such critical groups as the Nigeria Bar Association, Policy and Legal Advocacy Center, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce.

He has also hosted key members of the diplomatic community including envoys of the US, Britain, China and France. According to Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, SARAKI’s Special Adviser on Media, ‘’the envoys…left  fully satisfied that a competent, mature, exposed and intelligent man is handling the new Senate and that there is no cause  for alarm[concerning]…the synergy that will exist between the two critical  arms of government in Nigeria that is destined to change for the better.

If, as someone recently reminded us while commenting on the current impasse at the National Assembly,”classical political science teaches that politics is about mutual co-operation and understanding based on concessions on all sides in the ultimate interest of society,” then the time obviously has come to move on and put the past behind us as SARAKI and the lawmakers have patriotically done in the interest of the nation. This is imperative because when APC was campaigning, its leaders never told us that grabbing power from PDP was about sharing the spoils of war through the prism of narrow individual prejudice.

The Ife University management, then led by Professor Michael Faborode, had rusticated some Students’ Union leaders: Akinola Saburi (Malcom X), Ogunma Segun Adrew (Karl Marx), Taiwo Hassan (Soweto), Tunde Dairo(Barry Blacky) and others for politically-motivated reasons and had the very vibrant Union proscribed. The students, particularly we then freshmen, were left at the mercy of the University management and its notorious security men known as “crackers” (a group that fallout of the earlier Modakeke-Ife crises) whose mandates includes but not limited to harassing, intimidating and supressing students’ voice particularly students with progressive orientations and ideological groups on the campus. This was sometimes in 2006.
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I joined the ranks of the Union when its ban was lifted in 2008. Against all advice, and at great personal risks, I joined the movement to campaign for the reinstatement of the victimised activists. I particularly admired the invaluable role played by the Union legal adviser, Jiti Ogunye in seeing to the reinstatement of these lads. This was my faintest recollections of Comrade Jiti Ogunye. Akinola Saburi(Malcom X), the victimised Union President; Ogunma Segun Andrew(Karl Marx) his Speaker, were reinstated in 2011, the same year I graduated. I later came to know that for all his efforts; Jiti’s Chambers did all he did for us at no extra cost to our funds-starved Union. There is always a price to pay for holding fast your conviction!
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Recently, Comrade Jiti wrote under the title: SENATORS SARAKI AND EKWEREMADU’S ELECTIONS ARE A NULLITY, which contains his thoughts on the controversial National Assembly leadership election. I must say that I am still impressed by this man’s dexterity in his calling, but whether I agree with him on his opinion is another matter altogether.
‎
Before I proceed, let me make some germane clarifications. First, I am not a lawyer; therefore I must be quick to admit my limited knowledge of the technicalities in Law. Unlike Jiti, I will look at the issues purely from political standpoint(s). Secondly, I am not, and will never be in support of thuggery, hooliganism and utter recklessness as witnessed during the June 9 National Assembly leadership election. On these two points I guess I am still on the same page with Jiti.
‎
In the said article, he raised several points steaming from morality to legality to criminality. Let us start with the issue of morality. I noticed he mentioned more of “should” and “ought to” in the articles which connotes normative interpretations. I have learnt to stop using some words, as far as politics is concerned. The “shoulds”, “ought tos”, “supposed tos” etcetera form the bloc of words I avoid like a plague!

He made the following point: “…the APC, correctly and responsibly,…conducted a straw poll among its legislators to determine the popularity and acceptability of the aspirant and adopt consensus of the party for the position.” I agree it was acts of betrayal and gross indiscipline for Bukola Saraki and Yakub Dogara to proceed to contest the positions against the interest of their party, the APC. But if we agree with the German statesman, Otto van Bismarck, that “politics is the art of the possible, the attainable-the art of the next best” then we will see that interests have roles to play in politics.
‎
As far as this writer is concerned, even though we were thought in political theory classes that “what is morally wrong cannot be politically right” I know for a truth that this only ended just as it came-a theory. The morality in the issue is purely relative, while ambition is the key word. Politics is about negotiating and compromise, in some cases with the devil! If the APC missed out on this, then it’s too late to cry.
‎
It is not just enough for the APC to conduct a straw poll, it behoves the party to set up the mechanism to ensure its members to toe the party line. All before then, the PDP has been in crises, since it removed Alhaji Adamu Muazu, it suddenly found its lost unity and embraced its lost sheep in Saraki and Dogara. The PDP simply put behind it its presidential election defeat and braced up for a new challenge-the control of the Legislature. I see nothing unusual in this!
‎
Let me still take a look at the picture painted by Jiti. In the Senate, the APC had 59 members as against PDP’s 49. On the surface, it looks good for the APC to “control” the House. But what the party fails to realise is its own underestimation of the desperation of its rival, PDP on the one hand and the facts of precedence on the other hand.
‎
I have written in my earlier articles on the National Assembly crises (in all of which I placed the blame of the party’s post-presidential election strategies) that if there is anything the APC got wrong, it is their gross underestimation of the PDP’s ambitions. Someone with 49 “standing” or bloc votes out of possible 109 votes can only be underestimated at one’s own peril. Saraki only needed a minimum of 6 votes from the flesh of APC’s 59 to clinch the seat. Politics, again, is a game of numbers. How often have we heard this told?

There is also a question of precedence. In 2011, Aminu Tambuwal of the PDP came up against his party’s candidate, Alhaja Mulikat Akande for the post of Speaker of the House of Representatives. With the PDP’s votes largely divided, Tambuwal sort the support of the then, Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) which had about 71 members, the All Nigerian People’s Party(ANPP) and the Congress for Progressives Change(CPC). In addition to the votes he could get from PDP’s flesh, he won the election. It is instructive to note here that Tambuwal later joined the APC in the eve of the 2015 election. Can we say that Saraki played the same game the APC once won?
I am also tempted to delve into the issues of legalities and extra-legalities raised in the article. I must confess at this point, I have not read the Senate Standing Orders, either the one of 2011 or 2015(?) but one thing I know for certain is that the Standing Orders, derive their foundation from the sacrosanct provisions of the 1999 Constitution. Again, to be elected as Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives, one needs only 55 votes out of 109 to win a simple majority. I am not so good in arithmetic, but I know what simple means. If 57 out of 109 is not simple majority, then I don’t know the meaning of the term!
‎
While not holding brief for any party or faction in the crises, my take is that if there is a Presidential Proclamation declaring the National Assembly open, then 51 APC Senators’ absence when such an important function was going in the Senate is discomforting if not suspicious. As Jiti himself noted, the House will not wait for anyone who absent himself or herself from the session!
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Again, even if the 51 APC senators were on the floor of the Senate, they would have come against 49 PDP reunited with their 8 former colleagues now in APC. As far as my knowledge of the 1999 Constitution can serve me, only a simple majority (of senators voting) is required to will the election as Senate President. That also reminds me, in the case of the House of Representatives, where all the members voted, did that still prevented Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the APC candidate from losing the Speakership?

That leads me the next point raised in Jiti’s article-Forgery. In my opinion, the case of forgery largely applies to Senator Ike Eweremadu who, as a PDP member, “won” election as Deputy Senate President in an APC-controlled House. It has been alleged that he forged the Senate Standing Orders, 2011 to accommodate his own ambition. I will reserve my comment on this matter especially now that the case is in Court. I am also aware that full scale police investigations are in top gear on the matter. Should anyone, including Senator Saraki, be found culpable, I submit not only should they lose their positions, they should also be made to lose their seats in the House, in addition to their being banned from holding political offices for an upward 20 years!
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It is very easy to “moralise” and “ethicize” the arguments now, but we I know, morality is a branch of study to which no one can claim to have sole authority because it is highly subjective. What transpired on the floor of the National Assembly was just a game of chess where one is beaten in his own manoeuvres. I am defending a fraud? I wish I hadn’t written this!
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Olalekan Waheed ADIGUN is a political risk analyst and an independent political strategist for wide range of individuals, organisations and campaigns. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria.
Tel: +2348136502040, +2347081901080
Email: olalekan@olalekanadigun.com, adgorwell@gmail.com

Credits: Ubong Etuk Akpan

Barring any last minute changes, the Senate is expected to resume plenary on 28 July, 2015. The shift in date according to reports is meant to give the two opposing All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators - the Senators of Like Minds (loyal to Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki) and the Senate Unity Forum (loyal to Senator Ahmad Lawan) - enough time to digest the terms of settlement recommended by the Governor Atiku Bagudu-led three man reconciliation committee. The Committee was floated by APC Governors' Forum to broker a truce  in the seeming intractable differences between the two contending groups for the post of Senate President of the 8th Senate which was won on June 9 by Saraki. The emergence of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator, Ike Ekewremadu as Deputy Senate President, had also fanned the flame and still a source of discontent among the APC and its lawmakers in the upper chamber. Ditto the insistence by some leaders of the APC that their 'handpicked candidates' must occupy the post of Senate Leader and Deputy Senate Leader respectively. The section of party leaders routing for Lawan hinge their contention on the need to entrench party supremacy. However, the APC Senators have continued to clamour for legislative independence. Many analysts including Saraki had explained that the APC would not have lost the post of DSP to PDP had some of its leaders not called out about 51 of its members to an ill-advised meeting - purportedly summoned by the National Leader of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari - on the day of the inauguration. However, recent events have shown that Buhari was rather 'invited' to the parley by the self-acclaimed leader of the South-West, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the assembly.

I know many a Unity Forum members who have continued to flaunt the doctrine of party supremacy just to achieve their quest for power. What is however amiss is whether Party Supremacy is a euphemism for Tinubu's Supremacy as being used by those in the Tinubu faction of the APC or the Supremacy of the APC as a party. The distinction needs to be made because when Tinubu was backing Senator George  Akume - a Christian from Benue - for Senate President, it was interpreted that he was the candidate of the party for the job. But when Tinubu made a volte face and latched on on to Senator Ahmad Lawan - a Muslim from Yobe - for the top job of the Senate, the Yobe North lawmaker was again paraded as the choice of the party.  Haba! We all know that President Muhammadu Buhari had made it clear that he had no preferred candidate for job. He underscored his message by saying that he would work with anybody that emerges as President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives. Saraki and Yakubu Dogara have emerged. Buhari has not rescinded his promise. Therefore, why are some members of the party being more papal than the pope by insisting that it's preferred candidates must be allowed to occupy principal positions in the Senate? If the National Leader of the APC and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says he has no preferred candidate who is then higher than him in hierarchy to insist that Lawan and Akume be allowed to reap from where they did not sow? Granted that 'party supremacy' ought to be the norm, but what do you say of the APC national leadership who allowed the crises to ferment and fester in the first place by absolutely neglecting to act when the iron was hot? Where was the APC leadership - now hiding under the decoy of party supremo to reverse time and undo what has been done at the inception of the contest? Why did the party go to sleep in the morning only to wake up at midnight to start searching for a black goat? Nigerians expect the APC to honourably accept responsibility rather than trying to pin their political naivety on Saraki and the PDP for the outcome of the June 9 inauguration. 
 
Let the current internal crisis of the APC and their Senators not be allowed to result in the proverb that when two elephants tango, it is the grasses that will suffer. The grasses unfortunately in this scenario are the long oppressed Nigerian masses. Have Nigerians not suffered enough in the last 16 years when the PDP stung and economically asphyxiated them with poverty, epileptic power, ill equipped health facilities, unemployment, social dislocation and above all imposition of unpopular candidates through rigging, electoral brigandage, ballot box snatching and outright allocation of results during past elections. I must say that it was in order to escape from the oppressive regime of the PDP that Nigerians voted for the APC during the 2015 elections, as the change agent to turn things around for the better. The Senate and the APC Senators in particular cannot afford to derail the people's hope for a complete turnaround. To continue to bicker over spilled milk will not do a highly respected arm of government like the legislature any good. The election that led to the emergence of Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, was not only transparent but was in tandem with the express provisions of the Constitution and the Senate Standing Orders. The Presiding and Principal Officers have emerged, save the position of the Chief Whip of the Senate which has not been announced. Be that as it may, Nigerians already know that Professors Sola Adeyeye from Osun State has been penciled down for the position. 

If truth be told, APC Senators  should realize that Nigerians now expect the Senate to as a matter of national interest quickly settle down and rally round the Senate President to begin to take out the filth that has so suffocated our people these past years. Nigerians expect the Senate President to as a matter of necessity and national importance to urgently name the 56 Standing Committees of the Senate. However in the absence of that, let him name essential committees to begin to carry out urgent and essential services pending when the entire standing committees would be unveiled. Again this should not take eternity. 

It is time for Senators still branding themselves as the Senate Unity Forum rather than Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria not to continue to dash the people's hopes through their war mongering. No body is happy to sow and another man reap. However the alleged forgery of Senate Rules and the emergence of a PDP Senator as the Deputy Senate President cannot be an excuse why the real issues that trouble the nation must be put in abeyance. I don't think that there is any Nigerian that would wait for Senators of the APC to fight over positions already contested and won before having uninterrupted power supply in their homes for instance. Mr. President has been traveling to seek international cooperation and collaboration to end insurgency in the country, repatriate stolen funds, and seek needed investors, among others. The Senate ought to be ready to speak with one voice and queue behind Mr. President to ensure a final solution to the evil of insurgency in our country. I have mentioned this because the nation's ability to deal with this evil will determine whether the APC has delivered on its mandate and thus eligible for reelection in 2019. Nigerians will most certainly not reckon with a scorecard of who threw the highest number of verbal or real punches on the floor of the Senate or those lawmakers who attempted to overpower the Sergeant-At-Arms and carry the mace to legitimize their planned illegality. I must say that any more day the Senate allows the ambition of a few lawmakers to disrupt it sittings would amount to an unpardonable disservice to Nigerians who voted for them in the first place. 

Besides, Saraki has left nobody in doubt that he has what it takes to both intelligently and charismatically pilot the affairs of the Senate in such a way that Nigerians would maximally benefit. Within one month as Senate President, he has unveiled his agenda for the Senate but has taken practical steps to ensure the realization of his laudable vision for the Senate as an efficient, transparent, accountable arm of government that is alive to its responsibilities of making needed legislation for the good, order and progress of the country. I am in essence referring to the setting up of the Senate ad-hoc Committees on Legislative Agenda and Finance Review to ensure openness in the activities and finances of the Senate. The issue of constant and effective oversight remains key to be able to attain Saraki's resolve that all revenue generating Ministries,  Departments and Agencies (MDAs) remit these cash into the Federation Account fully. A situation where Senate Committees will summon the head of an agency and ask that head to give account of his stewardship especially in terms of capital allocation should be gone with the past. It would rather be better and more rewarding for committees to confront such agencies with facts and figures for either right or wrong doing and let such heads deny or accept responsibility for their actions or inactions. Again, Saraki recently directed the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to collaborate with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to recover N30billion illegal waivers granted to some rice and other importers as a way of shoring up the revenue of the Federal Government. The Senate must now unite to ensure that this is done for the benefit of the average Nigerian finding it difficult to survive from day to day. Thanks to Buhari for recently announcing a bailout to pay backlog of salaries but what happens when the over N700billion expected to be released as a relief package to states gets mismanaged or exhausted? Even though some party leaders who failed to realize their ambition to impose or install their protege's as both presiding and principal officers of the Senate, and the House of Representatives, have vowed not to let Nigeria move forward until their wishes are realized, but they must be told that the country must first exist before any politician can realize his economic, social and political pursuits.

The Unity Forum and its backers should shed the toga of war and embrace reconciliation as begun by the leadership of the party - APC. They cannot afford to constitute themselves into the agents of destabilization in the 8th Senate. Politics as they say is about give-and-take. Like they say in pidgin English parlance 'Na fight Nigerians go chop?' Need we beg the Unity Forum to allow the wheels of progressive to roll freely. The task awaiting the 8th Senate  cannot be abridged on that alter of personal ego and desperation displayed so far by some members of the Unity Forum.  Or do we ask the poor widows and pensioners to wait for Senators Ahmad Lawan, George Akume, Kabiru Marafa and Mohammed Hunkuyi to be named principal officers before the desire of Nigerians for change and good governance begin to manifest. Plans by Marafa and his cohorts to cause mayhem in the Senate on resumption must not be taken lightly by the security agencies. Nigeria is far greater and bigger than any individual ambition! 

Akpan, a public affairs analyst wrote in from, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

A member of the Like Minds Senators, Senator Hamma Misau has said the crisis in the National Assembly was being masterminded from outside, particularly by some politicians while also advising  the sponsors of the crisis to desist immediately.

Misau in a statement in Abuja yesterday advised those who want to use the National Assembly as a ground for their war of political relevance and control to allow the legislators to work and perform their constitutional duty which they owe the electorate.


 He added that Senators and House of Representatives members were not elected for the purpose of fighting for leadership offices but to go and pass legislations, motions, engage in debates and oversight functions which will lead to improved standard of living for the people.

 While chiding those who are using some senators and representatives to create division and rancour in the National Assembly, Misau said " they should allow us to move on after the already concluded election of the leaders so that we can face our job. In any election there must be winners and losers and I don't know when it becomes compulsory for the losers to be given other positions before we can perform our constitutional duties".

 "When I heard my colleague, Kabiru Marafa, threatening fire and brimstone saying that they will bring the roof of the National Assembly down if their men who lost in the elections to select the leadership were not accommodated, I knew he was not the one speaking. He was only a mouth-piece for their sponsors. Why should the National Assembly be grounded because some people failed in election into leadership positions? When then Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar lost in the presidential primaries to then General Muhammadu Buhari, did they insist they must get the Vice Presidential slot or other positions? Let us stop all these threats and move on", he said.

 The Senator from Bauchi said those who are insisting that Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila should be majority leader in the House of Representatives should be ready to go for election because the explanation by Speaker Yakubu Dogara on the need for federal character and equal representation of all the geo-political zones in line with the constitution and House rules were logical and realistic.


 He however warned those who would rather follow the dictates of their Godfathers instead of seeking to fulfil their election mandate that they were only heating up the polity for no just cause and that history will not forgive them.

 " It is not the first time people will lose election and it will not be the last time and the country remains bigger than any individual. I am surprised that Senators and Representatives are following, without any query, the dictates of some Godfathers who have no constitutional mandate and in the process they are jeopardising their own responsibilities to the people. Eventually, you are the one who will be judged base on your performance by the people", he said.

 The Senator said the Likeminds group were privy to some sinister plots being hatched by those sponsoring the crisis in the National Assembly and that " we will expose them in due course so that Nigerians can know the type of people we are dealing with, despite their huge investment in propaganda war".

Signed
Senator Isa Misau
Abuja.

Senator Biodun Olujimi representing Ekiti South PDP has reveled how leadership of PDP stopped PDP Senators from taking the Senate President in 8th Assembly, the lawmaker during an interview with news reporter said the position of senate president would have gone to the PDP because senators of the party were in clear majority on the day of Senate inauguration and could have elected one of their own for the position.

According to Olujimi, the PDP advised its senators to play the second fiddle it is no longer a ruling party and has no majority in the Senate.

She said that some members of her party had reasoned that since APC senators were sharply divided between senators Bukola Saraki and Ahmad Lawan, the contenders on the APC platform, it was good for them to seize the opportunity to produce the senate president. However, she disclosed that a second thought to adhere to earlier advice from the party saved the day.

“Somebody would definitely have that mindset but what really happened was that we felt we are in opposition and the ruling party must take its rightful place—the larger chunk as the PDP had instructed.

Her words: “The party was very clear that ‘you are in opposition, you are no longer the ruling party’. And so, we were willing to allow the majority party take the lead and immediately after taking the lead, we thought we were strong enough to follow and that is what we did and that is what is here now.

The dynamics: “It was the dynamics that came to play in the election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President. In that hall on the day of inauguration of new Senate, all the 49 senators of the PDP were present and the APC were not. There were very few APCs. In all, we were 76 senators present and when you take 49 out of 76, you would know what was left. And so, whether you like it or not, he would win because it was a game of number. And that was what came to play and that was why he won.’’



Strengthening democracy

Senator Olujimi said the emergence of PDP’s Ekweremadu in an APC-dominated Senate would strengthen the nation’s democracy, asking those complaining to rethink.

She said: “Whether you like it or not, that will be responsible for the stability of this Senate, if this Senate is going to be stable. This is because now, nobody can grumble, nobody can complain.”

The senator said those contemplating of impeaching Ekweremadu were getting it wrong, as according to her, the processes were difficult to achieve.

“That slight majority is not workable because you need two-thirds majority and if you have 109 senators and the PDP, as a minority party has 49 senators to its fold, you should know that it is not easy to get that two-thirds majority, “she said.

No division in PDP: She debunked insinuations that PDP senators were divided on their choice of those to be picked to fill the four principal offices among which are the positions of Majority Leader and Deputy Majority Leader, saying they will present four of their members for the positions as soon as the National Assembly resumes from its ongoing recess.

“For now, we are working with the party to ensure that the list comes as soon as we resume. As we are preparing to resume, we will meet to ensure that we adopt all the four officials expected to fill the various positions that belong to us as a minority party in the Senate. But I know that we have not adopted anybody yet.

“It is not as if the party is giving us directives but they are working with us. They sit with us almost every week to ask us what the problems are and how they can come in. That should be the role of a party. They just ask us what we want and help us just to navigate through,”she added.

Forgery of Senate rules: Commenting on the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rule by some principal officers of the legislature, Senator Olujimi said she really did not know whether the document was altered.

Hear her: “As a new senator, I was given a set of rules, if it was like that before, I don’t know, if it wasn’t like that before, I don’t know. My idea is that I was given a set of rules and I am going to work with that set of rules before me. So, where did the forgery come from? For me, I don’t know anything about forgery because when you resume as a member of the House, you are always given a document, a set of rules of the assembly of that time.

“When the 8th Assembly resumed, the Senate was given a set of rules and that is what is expected to guide us in the next four years. Whether it was amended or not, I do not know, that is what I was given and that is what I intend to work with and I know all my colleagues too, are going to do the same.’’

Zonal, party balance

She confirmed that the upper chamber has resolved not to short-change any zone or political party in terms of allocation of committees, as the Senate prepares to constitute the various committees and membership.

“What we have done is to put them in zones because we don’t want any zone short-changed. And so, we are looking at the six zones. Let me tell you something that you have not taken cognizance of. 

Before now, there was a very slim opposition, it was always PDP 79, and the others 24 and these others were not in one party. It was always three or four parties maybe sharing 20 positions with one taking over 11 and others taking maybe one or two. But it is a departure from what we have today.

‘’Now, we have a very strong opposition. The only two strong parties we have in the Senate today stand neck and neck and that is it. So, it’s a different ball game and so naturally, the dynamics must change. I don’t know how they came about the set of rules but I believe that whoever did that saw that the dynamics must change. If the dynamics don’t change from when it was just a very weak opposition to very strong opposition, we wouldn’t have the peace we require in that Senate,’’ she quipped.‎

Credits: Prof. Femi Ajayi

SOBEF650@aol.com

The ‘Clowns’ and the ‘Monkeys’ that ushered in the 8th National Assembly Session are unable to handle legislative housekeeping in selecting their leaders and Committee positions. They resolved into physical combat typified of lower animals, refused to change from their kindergarten mindset; unfortunately portraying their distinguished motor parks touts, instead of facing the realities of lawmaking, in all ramifications. Nigerians hope for them to return from the recess with more matured mindset and sense of accountabilities to the Nation.


Clowns and Monkeys of the National Assembly

Unfortunately, Nigerians who voted for a change in the Nigeria political process, witnessed the 8th National Assembly session on a storming note. Naira continues to suffer pre and post-election trauma as many business men and women and billionaires moving out their funds from the economy, with the fear of ‘I will probe the moon, sun and star’. Ironically, members of the National Assembly resolved to combat over ‘who will get what’, sharing of the Nation’s wealth, positions and oil blocks, extemporaneously laying foundation for becoming a visionless rag tag National Assembly.

A less than two-year old APC and only a month as the ruling party, the National Assembly is demonstrating an assemblage of strange bedfellows of obstinate schemata, bleached with the monocratic direction of its leader, with no solid operational rules before it opened its door to several defectors. It is like diluting Ogogoro, Apentenshi, Noble, Star Larger, Guinness, and Burukutu with Palm Wine for a cocktail party. The nPDP is rebuffing the party directive in its leadership sharing formula, which is creating a deep narrow pit for APC administration.


Kicking against imposition of candidates, as demonstrated by the election at the Green Chamber, where APC’s choice of the Speakership was voted against by Honorable members; the 6′ 7″ titanic Bukola Saraki was most likely to have emerged as the Senate President without twirling into a car for four hours. Unfortunately, Femi Gbajabiamila, the choice of APC, REFUSED to reach out to all House members for the Speakership position, and left it with Tinubu, as the sole anointing leader, who could remotely control the House; unlike Saraki who personally contacted all Senators.

APC members might not like the bi-partisan arrangements reality at the Senate, for now, it might be advisable not to implement the transcripts of one-man-show of the Party by impeaching Saraki and his Deputy, Ekweremadu. It might be difficult for APC to harness the two-thirds support to remove the Senate President and the Deputy.


Tinubu: Jagaban of Borgu

The obnoxious development at the National Assembly started with the alleged meeting with the President, to solve internal conflicts within APC, at the International Convention Center in Abuja, when we believed Buhari was still with the G-7 meeting. Solidly 51 APC Senators enthusiastically responded to the call to meet with Buhari.

The President, employing his constitutional duty, was believed to have sent a letter to the Clerk of the House setting June 9, 2015 and 9:00 a.m. as the time that the 8th Legislature would commence sitting and elect its officers. Meanwhile, on June 6th, the APC leaders had orchestrated and forced a straw poll that produced Senator Lawan as President of the Senate, and Rep. Gbajabiamila, a protégé of Tinubu, as Speaker of the House.

The political last card came for the Senator Bukola Saraki and Representative Yakubu Dogara to carry out their conspiracy against Tinubu to publicly and vehemently oppose the results of the mock election. Before they realized what was happening where they were supposed to be meeting with Buhari, unopposed nomination at the Senate floor, brought in Saraki and Ekweremadu, as the Senate President and Vice President respectively; with the legal backing of one-third of the Senators forming a quorum to elect not to impeach; 38 out of 109, with about 59 Senators present; was really a ruse to cut Tinubu to size.

Tinubu, the Jagaban of Borgu, played all political tricks and maneuvered the media for APC to win the Presidential election. Like Malcom X said, ‘the media is the most powerful entity on Earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses”.

The first-class Emir of Borgu, Niger State, His Royal Highness Alhaji (Senator) Haliru Dantoro Kitoro III [Mai Borgu], on April 2006, bestowed Senator Bola Tinubu and his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, as Jagaban of Borgu and Yun Bana Jagaban of Borgu respectively. Tinubu and the Emir’s friendship dated back to when they were both Senators at the ill-fated 1992 Nigerian Third Republic, as well as resilient business partners.

Tinubu capitalized on the situation on ground and captured the ‘faithful’. The change mantra was accepted by the majority of Nigerians during the political campaigns. Unfortunately some unethical practices in the APC revealed at the National Assembly did not start with Saraki, and if care is not taken, it would not end with him. In 2011, we remembered how Jagaban went with Jonathan to the exclusion of Nuhu Ribadu who was the party Presidential candidate for ACN, was shafted at the dying minutes.

Tinubu ought to have read the handwriting on the wall that exporting his locally made treatment of an ailment, may not work for the more sophisticated Society. A School of thought is of the opinion that President Muhammadu Buhari is the party leader, as APC constitution does not recognize Jagaban as the national leader.

In addition the Northern elements might not be too comfortable with Tinubu’s avowal of April 5, 2015, barely seven days after PMB unique win in the Nigerian presidential elections, acknowledged APC leader that brought Buhari his success at the polls; he single-handedly put Buhari in office. He repeated his theme again on April 22, in an article titled, “How the ‘Godfather’ of Lagos Could Shape Nigeria’s Government,” that “I am a talent hunter. I put talents in office, I help them.” He further claimed that, “I use the best hand, the best brain, the best experience for the job.”

Tinubu might have further worsened the feeling of the Northern political elites when he expressed his disappointment to Tambuwal, when the latter visited him early July in Abuja, “with what you did to Femi in the House, you have severed the umbilical cord joining you with the South-West.” Tambuwal shrewdly left with the statements that, “it appears this is not a good time to come and see you. I’ll come back again some other time.”

Saraki ascendancy to the Senate President might be seen as treacherous, especially with his alliance with PDP Ekweremadu, as Senate Vice President, would see Saraki as a dangerous and unreliable party man with one foot deliberately thrust outside the tent. Saraki led group has shown part of the change in the Nigerian political spectrum, Presidential system does not come with an established Opposition party. That was the method used by APC to wrestle power away from the 16-year of Nigeria new democracy foundation, laid by Obasanjo, built upon by Yar’Adua, and managed by Jonathan. There could be opposing views on issues before turning into laws. An average Nigerian political orientation is that of the British system.

The underrated in-depth of Saraki’s political sagacity and his political skills, proving to be truly a chip of the old bloc could not be advised to step down. Saraki ambitiously ascended to the number three spot in the country and asking him to step down is like putting water at the back of a calabash. Saraki is not a neophyte in this game as a two-term Kwara Governor, the hardcore Chair of the Governors Forum, when he faced multiple parties to address issues, and with the understanding of the Senate terrain, who took his political notes from being Obasanjo’s Personal Assistant with the Legislative assignments then. Saraki has enormous resources at his disposal, maintaining his principles, to manage the affairs of the Senate into a progressive positive conclusion.

That was an indication to Jagaban the new National Assembly direction; while his protégé got the House leadership with his threat of more violence, taken note from his experience from the 7th National Assembly fence climbing, in the name of defending democracy. Surprisingly, the House succumbed and made him the House leader.

The whole episode might not be against Tinubu per se, but against his officious influence in the party. Would Tinubu takes the Statesman approach, consolidating his accomplishments, not so egomaniac, before those, whose life depend on Jagaban, push him, through the rough road that leads to the pitch; like Mohmand Gadhafi of Libya despite his success stories for Libya?


Buhari, Tinubu

Regardless of the despondency of President Muhammadu Buhari with the leadership tussle at the National Assembly, he has honestly, without understanding the political terrain, accepted the principal officers as a fait accompli. He has endorsed the independence of the Legislature, not turning it into a rubber stamp Legislative body, as experienced in the later-day-saint of his colleague which Faith refused his elongated reign.

National Assembly independence will fairly and objectively address PMB’s administration agenda in tackling ‘insecurity; youth unemployment, through the revival of agriculture, solid minerals mining, as well as small and medium size businesses…pervasive corruption; fuel and power shortages; public service reforms; and the need to allow every tier of Government to exercise its constitutional responsibilities…’

The Senate seems to be the only surviving rescuer of PMB’s policies as Tinubu might have hijacked more than average of APC. Meanwhile, Buhari has to take caution on how he selects his Executive members.

Saraki might have rebelled against APC, teaming with PDP, which molded his political castle. His body language is encouraging team-work to address the issues affecting the country, not in an Opposition; quite different from the United Kingdom system, under the Monarch.

Unfortunately Nigeria always designed its own political process different from the rest of the world. Both leaders at the Senate and House should be watching their shoulders 24/7 as Nigeria political scene is unpredictable.

We hope APC would settle down to genuine governance. It should recognize the natural change in human beings as inevitable. The National Assembly is an independent arm of the government beyond any individual’s control. The Eighth National Assembly Session should get down to business as most Nigerians are despicably disappointed over the ten-minute passage of 47 bills at the close of 7th National Assembly session; hurriedly enacted into law the bill pronouncing mouthwatering retirement benefits and pensions for former Senate Presidents, Deputy Senate Presidents, Speakers of the House of Representatives and Deputy Speakers.


Nigerians want the National Assembly to be more accountable, run a better transparent legislative body, slashing of salaries and allowances, as some states unable to pay salaries of up to eight months, and cut down large inefficiencies government. Nigerians do not want a repeat of passage of Bills that public officials would have multiple stream of income life pensions from same source.

Tinubu played some remarkable role in the emergence of APC. Nonetheless, it is time to exit when the pitch sounds very high. No one has the monopoly of success. Jagaban should relax and enjoy the fruits of his labor. Unfortunately, honorable withdrawal is un-African.


Femi Ajayi is a Professor of Policy, Management & Conflict Resolution, at Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

Former Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters to one time President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, has said the All Progressive Congress (APC) cannot choose principal officers for the National Assembly, because the party supremacy has little role to play in the affairs of the NASS.

There has been a protracted stand-off between the executive and the legislative arms of government on issue of election of presiding officers in the National Assembly, as the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki and Honourable Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker continue to pitch the two arms against one another.

However, Yakassai said also that President Muhammadu Buhari has no power to choose who to work with in the National Assembly because that it is only the lawmaking arm that has the constitutional right to choose who should be presiding officers

Yakassai, speaking with newsmen in Kano said, ‘I think there is a mistake on the issue of party supremacy. There is an areas where party supremacy works. Also there are many areas where the party must not insist on its supremacy’

“However , the party in order to satisfy the yearning and aspiration of its supporters nationwide can prescribe zoning of the principal of the National Assembly officers but as to the naming of individual that would occupy the position , the party must not insist on who becomes what.

He said attempt by the APC to decide for the National Assembly the choice of principal officers was contrary to the position of the constitution of the country, stating that Party Supremacy cannot apply and be made to override the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“But to me, Buhari has no choice than to work with Saraki and Ekweremadu and it is not his business to say who would be the presiding officers that he would work with in the National Assembly.

It is the business of the National Assembly to choose their leaders and this is in the provisions of our constitution. It is not in the whims and caprices of Mr. President

Yakasai a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as well as a strong supporter of former President Goodluck Jonathan said President Buhari needs the cooperation of the Senate, in particular, that of the National Assembly in general for the administration to succeed.

Culled from Kwara247: http://www.kwara247.com/apcnigeria-has-no-rights-choosing-officers-for-bukolasaraki-dogara-tanko-yakassai/

IT emerged in Abuja, on Sunday, that the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, rejected plot by some politicians to stall the inauguration of the National Assembly on June 9.

The clerk also stalled the bid to stop the election of senate president, DR BUKOLA SARAKI, after rejecting a proposal to call off the sitting of the senate at 10.00 a.m. on June 9.

Sources in the National Assembly had told the Nigerian Tribune that following the rejection of the proposal to send reminder text messages to all senators and members of the House of Representatives for a meeting at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, by the APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, leaders of the party behind the push resorted to the national secretary.

It was also gathered that the leaders sent three ranking senators to Maikasuwa to convey to him the need to keep the sitting of the senate in abeyance.

Sources said the lawmakers told Maikasuwa that the Unity Forum, favoured by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the senate leadership positions, could not win the election on the floor if SARAKI was allowed to gain entry and get nominated.

The emissaries were also said to have told the clerk that the only option open to the party was to drag SARAKI and others before president Muhammadu Buhari, so that the president could appeal to the Kwara senator to withdraw from the race.

Sources, however, told the Nigerian Tribune that the clerk said he had prepared for the inauguration of the National Assembly, armed with the constitution and the Rule Book, adding that if the APC senators failed to appear at the sitting, the senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who are 49 in number, could form the quorum 40 inaugurate the House.

The ranking senator that led the delegation to Maikasuwa was said to have told the clerk that all APC senators were to stay away from the sitting.

But the clerk was said to have insisted that the PDP senators alone would form quorum in the senate chamber that day.

The clerk was also said to have told the APC senators that the proclamation already issued by the president was more or less a law binding on him to conduct the sitting of the senate at 10.00 a.m.

He was also said to have told his guests that the proclamation could only be issued once in the lifetime of a National Assembly, meaning that the one issued could not be withdrawn.

The clerk was said to have studied the aide memoir prepared by his predecessors while preparing the Rule Books of the Current senate and the House of Representatives in 1998, ahead of the inauguration of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

Sources further said the leaders of the APC then got message to security agencies to block the entrance of the National Assembly and stop anyone from gaining entrance and that by so doing, the sitting could be frustrated.

Sources said words, however, later got to the presidency that the gates of the National Assembly had been blocked, prompting the Villa to get words across to the Inspector-General of Police to immediately ensure that gates of the National Assembly complex were thrown open.

The message enabled the pro-SARAKI senators and PDP lawmakers to gain access to the complex and enabled Maikasuwa to conduct the election of presiding officers of the senate that day.

Distinguished Senator,
We appreciate your efforts in preventing desert encroachment and erosion from taking over arable lands in our country.
God Bless u abundantly & Please keep it up.
Cheers.