As
the Senate today resumes from its six weeks recess, JONATHAN NDA –
ISAIAH takes a look at events that will dominate it in the coming weeks.
All eyes are on the senate as the Upper Chamber resumes from its six weeks recess today. The Senate as an institution is under attack due to the trial of the Senate President Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal over an alleged false declaration of his assets in 2003.
The trial has dominated the media in the last few days and the first agenda today will be on how the senate will respond to the allegation. The senate is set for a stormy session over moves by both pro and anti-Saraki senators to disrupt plenary.
There are arguments in some quarters that a trial of Saraki which is perceived as a witch-hunt is an affront on the Senate as an institution as the constitution clearly stipulates the separation of power between the executive and the legislature. While some political watchers said the trial of Saraki, the number three citizen, is a boost for President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti corruption war.
Saraki, who is presently in the eye of the storm, lamented that he is being persecuted because he is the senate president. When he appeared before the tribunal last week, he stated that: ”I’m a true believer of the Rule of Law and I have come here with great respect. I have come here to subject myself. I strongly believe that I am here because I am the Senate President.”
“I observe and make reference to some of the good works the Senate has done. The same Senate was the one that passed the Code of Conduct Bureau Act, 2001 that clearly states in Section 3 (d) that if there is a breach of the asset declaration, the Code of Conduct Bureau shall require a matter to the Tribunal after giving the person an opportunity to either confirm whether those facts are true. And if he admits, the matter shall not be referred to the tribunal”.
LEADERSHIP checks reveal that there are moves by the members of the Unity Forum who supported the aspirations of Senator Ahmad Lawan’s senate presidency to move a motion calling on the Senate president to resign over his ongoing trial, a move that may not see the light of the day as some senators argued that the trial is still ongoing and the senate cannot speak on a matter that is before a court of law.
There are also unconfirmed reports that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has already penciled down the names of Senator George Akume or Barnabas Gemade to take over the leadership of the Senate in the event that Saraki resigns or is found guilty by the Tribunal.
However, former governor of Sokoto state, Senator Aliyu Magatatakarda Wamakko, has dismissed media reports that there are plots to find a replacement for Saraki saying that majority of the senators are with the Senate President.
Wamakko also dismissed reports that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are planning to take over the Senate as mere propaganda.
The former governor in a chat with journalists said such reports were mere imaginations of pundits, because according to him, the present reality on Senate matters never tallies with the reports.
Wamakko said Senators are rather meeting to strengthen the Senate under Saraki with a view to recovering the lost grounds on the legislative business under the APC-led government.
He said unknown to many, President Muhammadu Buhari had nothing to do with Saraki’s present ordeal, most especially his stand off with the Code of Conduct Bureau, which had dragged him before the tribunal.
President Buhari, he noted is rather worried about the near state of inaction in the National Assembly and hence, has never been opposed to moves by the Senator to get the Senate back on a high octave in the interest of democracy.
He said, ‘‘I see Mr. President, Saraki and Senators holding a meeting very soon on how to salvage democracy which certain elements have been trying to subvert. They will find time to meet to stop our opponents from progressing with acts to sabotage democracy.
“Once the President and the Senate leadership sit on a roundtable with a resolve to re-oil the wheels of democracy for national progress, the cynics, the political rabble-rousers and those who never mean well for the APC-led government will go to sleep.
Wamakko said Saraki. having submitted himself to the law by appearing before the tribunal has helped the case preferred against him by the bureau, appealing to critics to stop pre-empting the cause of law.
He noted that those hoping to promote discord between President Buhari and the Senate President, banking on excuses would soon realise that democracy has advanced in Nigeria with more Senators anxious to make it work.
Wamakko appealed to the media to show deeper understanding of the situation in the Senate by avoiding reports capable of setting the Senate on fire.
He said the removal of Saraki as being canvassed by those he described as faceless groups outside the National Assembly will end up as an ill-wind that will blow no good for the Senate, democracy and Nigeria.
He said that “majority of Senators weeks ago passed a vote of confidence in Saraki because they were convinced that his style of leadership has been broad and progress inclined. Nothing has changed. Majority of our colleagues still believe that Saraki remains a stabilizing factor in the Senate for now.
“A change of leadership, at this point in time, as being canvassed, will certainly spark some endless sessions of rancour, suspicion, crises and uncertainty among members. When such begin to happen, no one will be able to predict the end”.
Wamakko said Saraki shares the same ideology of ‘change’ with President Buhari, stating that every step so far taken by the Senate has been inclined towards promoting the change mantra, with national progress at the core of all considerations by Senators.
Ministerial List
It is expected that the Senate will receive the much anticipated ministerial list from the President today or tomorrow. The special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina confirmed in New York weekend that the list of ministerial nominees will be made public on last day of the month being tomorrow.
Adesina noted that Buhari is a man of his word who would not renege on his promise to Nigerians that he would announce members of his cabinet this month.
Corroborating Adesina’s position, the senior special assistant on media and publicity to the president, Mallam Garba Shehu, also urged Nigerians to be patient, as nothing will stop the president from keeping to his promise.
“The president had said it twice that he would submit his ministerial list to the National Assembly in September. As you can see, that position has not changed”, Shehu was quoted as saying in New York where he accompanied Buhari for the United Nations General Assembly.
President Buhari had on September 7 declared in Ghana that his earlier promise of naming his cabinet before the end of the month remained sacrosanct.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the President will send the ministerial list in batches. Some political watchers are of the view that Saraki may try to get back at the presidency who many believe are behind his present travails by frustrating or even dropping some of the names of the ministerial nominees.
Composition of Standing Committees
It is also expected that the senate will constitute its standing committees in the coming days so that legislative work may start in earnest. The Senate had earlier constituted the Rules and Business, as well as Ethics and Privileges committees and the remaining 55 will be constituted in the next few days. Some of the committees, when constituted are expected to screen and clear some appointments Buhari made when the Senate was in recess. Appointments of Ahmed Kuru as AMCON boss; Col Hammeed Ali as the Comptroller General of Customs; Immigration Boss, Kure Abeshi and Dr Babatunde Fowler as Federal Inland Revenue Service ( FIRS) boss.
Also, the President will send a supplementary budget to the National Assembly which will be screened and worked on by the Appropriation and Finance Committees.
The supplementary budget is hinged on the fact that the Federal Government had since exhausted its borrowing limit in the 2015 budget and the Debt Management Office had continued to issue fresh government bonds and treasury bills.
Culled from Leadership
All eyes are on the senate as the Upper Chamber resumes from its six weeks recess today. The Senate as an institution is under attack due to the trial of the Senate President Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal over an alleged false declaration of his assets in 2003.
The trial has dominated the media in the last few days and the first agenda today will be on how the senate will respond to the allegation. The senate is set for a stormy session over moves by both pro and anti-Saraki senators to disrupt plenary.
There are arguments in some quarters that a trial of Saraki which is perceived as a witch-hunt is an affront on the Senate as an institution as the constitution clearly stipulates the separation of power between the executive and the legislature. While some political watchers said the trial of Saraki, the number three citizen, is a boost for President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti corruption war.
Saraki, who is presently in the eye of the storm, lamented that he is being persecuted because he is the senate president. When he appeared before the tribunal last week, he stated that: ”I’m a true believer of the Rule of Law and I have come here with great respect. I have come here to subject myself. I strongly believe that I am here because I am the Senate President.”
“I observe and make reference to some of the good works the Senate has done. The same Senate was the one that passed the Code of Conduct Bureau Act, 2001 that clearly states in Section 3 (d) that if there is a breach of the asset declaration, the Code of Conduct Bureau shall require a matter to the Tribunal after giving the person an opportunity to either confirm whether those facts are true. And if he admits, the matter shall not be referred to the tribunal”.
LEADERSHIP checks reveal that there are moves by the members of the Unity Forum who supported the aspirations of Senator Ahmad Lawan’s senate presidency to move a motion calling on the Senate president to resign over his ongoing trial, a move that may not see the light of the day as some senators argued that the trial is still ongoing and the senate cannot speak on a matter that is before a court of law.
There are also unconfirmed reports that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has already penciled down the names of Senator George Akume or Barnabas Gemade to take over the leadership of the Senate in the event that Saraki resigns or is found guilty by the Tribunal.
However, former governor of Sokoto state, Senator Aliyu Magatatakarda Wamakko, has dismissed media reports that there are plots to find a replacement for Saraki saying that majority of the senators are with the Senate President.
Wamakko also dismissed reports that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are planning to take over the Senate as mere propaganda.
The former governor in a chat with journalists said such reports were mere imaginations of pundits, because according to him, the present reality on Senate matters never tallies with the reports.
Wamakko said Senators are rather meeting to strengthen the Senate under Saraki with a view to recovering the lost grounds on the legislative business under the APC-led government.
He said unknown to many, President Muhammadu Buhari had nothing to do with Saraki’s present ordeal, most especially his stand off with the Code of Conduct Bureau, which had dragged him before the tribunal.
President Buhari, he noted is rather worried about the near state of inaction in the National Assembly and hence, has never been opposed to moves by the Senator to get the Senate back on a high octave in the interest of democracy.
He said, ‘‘I see Mr. President, Saraki and Senators holding a meeting very soon on how to salvage democracy which certain elements have been trying to subvert. They will find time to meet to stop our opponents from progressing with acts to sabotage democracy.
“Once the President and the Senate leadership sit on a roundtable with a resolve to re-oil the wheels of democracy for national progress, the cynics, the political rabble-rousers and those who never mean well for the APC-led government will go to sleep.
Wamakko said Saraki. having submitted himself to the law by appearing before the tribunal has helped the case preferred against him by the bureau, appealing to critics to stop pre-empting the cause of law.
He noted that those hoping to promote discord between President Buhari and the Senate President, banking on excuses would soon realise that democracy has advanced in Nigeria with more Senators anxious to make it work.
Wamakko appealed to the media to show deeper understanding of the situation in the Senate by avoiding reports capable of setting the Senate on fire.
He said the removal of Saraki as being canvassed by those he described as faceless groups outside the National Assembly will end up as an ill-wind that will blow no good for the Senate, democracy and Nigeria.
He said that “majority of Senators weeks ago passed a vote of confidence in Saraki because they were convinced that his style of leadership has been broad and progress inclined. Nothing has changed. Majority of our colleagues still believe that Saraki remains a stabilizing factor in the Senate for now.
“A change of leadership, at this point in time, as being canvassed, will certainly spark some endless sessions of rancour, suspicion, crises and uncertainty among members. When such begin to happen, no one will be able to predict the end”.
Wamakko said Saraki shares the same ideology of ‘change’ with President Buhari, stating that every step so far taken by the Senate has been inclined towards promoting the change mantra, with national progress at the core of all considerations by Senators.
Ministerial List
It is expected that the Senate will receive the much anticipated ministerial list from the President today or tomorrow. The special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina confirmed in New York weekend that the list of ministerial nominees will be made public on last day of the month being tomorrow.
Adesina noted that Buhari is a man of his word who would not renege on his promise to Nigerians that he would announce members of his cabinet this month.
Corroborating Adesina’s position, the senior special assistant on media and publicity to the president, Mallam Garba Shehu, also urged Nigerians to be patient, as nothing will stop the president from keeping to his promise.
“The president had said it twice that he would submit his ministerial list to the National Assembly in September. As you can see, that position has not changed”, Shehu was quoted as saying in New York where he accompanied Buhari for the United Nations General Assembly.
President Buhari had on September 7 declared in Ghana that his earlier promise of naming his cabinet before the end of the month remained sacrosanct.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the President will send the ministerial list in batches. Some political watchers are of the view that Saraki may try to get back at the presidency who many believe are behind his present travails by frustrating or even dropping some of the names of the ministerial nominees.
Composition of Standing Committees
It is also expected that the senate will constitute its standing committees in the coming days so that legislative work may start in earnest. The Senate had earlier constituted the Rules and Business, as well as Ethics and Privileges committees and the remaining 55 will be constituted in the next few days. Some of the committees, when constituted are expected to screen and clear some appointments Buhari made when the Senate was in recess. Appointments of Ahmed Kuru as AMCON boss; Col Hammeed Ali as the Comptroller General of Customs; Immigration Boss, Kure Abeshi and Dr Babatunde Fowler as Federal Inland Revenue Service ( FIRS) boss.
Also, the President will send a supplementary budget to the National Assembly which will be screened and worked on by the Appropriation and Finance Committees.
The supplementary budget is hinged on the fact that the Federal Government had since exhausted its borrowing limit in the 2015 budget and the Debt Management Office had continued to issue fresh government bonds and treasury bills.
Culled from Leadership
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