I AM NOT DESPERATE TO REMAIN IN OFFICE – SARAKI
Wednesday, 08 August 2018 12:07The leadership of the Eighth National Assembly says it is not desperate to remain in office and will not hesitate to step aside once it seizes to enjoy two-thirds support of members.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who doubles as Chairman of the National Assembly, made this declaration on behalf of the Deputy Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Addressing a world press conference on the foyer of the National Assembly, a day after a security siege on the legislative chamber, Senator Saraki commended lawmakers who stood up against the invasion by the DSS operatives, as well as the media and members of the public who spoke out against the incident.
Responding to questions from journalists after reading his address, Senator Saraki explained that the reason only PDP lawmakers where seen at the entrance to the National Assembly yesterday was because their APC counterparts where having a secret meeting elsewhere.
The Senate President claimed that the purported APC meeting was ostensibly to adopt strategies for a change of leadership of the National Assembly, but ended inconclusively yesterday.
I AM NOT DESPERATE TO REMAIN IN OFFICE – SARAKI
Wednesday, 08 August 2018 12:07The leadership of the Eighth National Assembly says it is not desperate to remain in office and will not hesitate to step aside once it seizes to enjoy two-thirds support of members.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who doubles as Chairman of the National Assembly, made this declaration on behalf of the Deputy Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Addressing a world press conference on the foyer of the National Assembly, a day after a security siege on the legislative chamber, Senator Saraki commended lawmakers who stood up against the invasion by the DSS operatives, as well as the media and members of the public who spoke out against the incident.
Responding to questions from journalists after reading his address, Senator Saraki explained that the reason only PDP lawmakers where seen at the entrance to the National Assembly yesterday was because their APC counterparts where having a secret meeting elsewhere.
The Senate President claimed that the purported APC meeting was ostensibly to adopt strategies for a change of leadership of the National Assembly, but ended inconclusively yesterday.
PRESIDENCY AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONDEMN PLOT TO IMPEACH SAMUEL ORTOM
Tuesday, 31 July 2018 12:00President Muhammadu Buhari has washed his hands off the faceoff between APC members of the Benue State House of Assembly and Governor Samuel Ortom.
President Buhari said he would never be part of any unconstitutional act, adding that any attempt to link him with the inglorious past, when minority number of lawmakers impeached governors, will not stick.
The President’s denunciation of the Benue State political saga was contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
The Presidential spokesman said individuals and groups that are making insinuations to suggest that President Buhari may have a hand in the development in Benue State are suffering from paranoia.
Femi Adesina said President Buhari would always stand by all that is noble and fair, and will reject attempts to drag him into infamy.
Adesina said people who stoke fire by deliberate acts of omission or commission, and then summon the President to put it out will find that he will be guided by the Constitution at all times, no matter the attempt to entangle him in what he called unwarranted controversies.
Meanwhile; the National Assembly has also expressed concern over the development in Benue State, following an attempt by eight members of the House of Assembly to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, described the action of the eight APC members with the support of the police as a desecration of the legislative chamber.
In a statement jointly issued by their spokesmen, Senator Saraki and Speaker Dogara called on President Muhammdu Buhari to caution the Police against being used to achieve political ends.
SENATE APPEALS TO REGULATORY AND ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES (AUDIO)
Thursday, 19 July 2018 19:11The Nigerian Senate has observed anomalies in the on-going process for the renewal of oil leases and charged its Committee on Petroleum Upstream to investigate.
This followed a motion sponsored by Senator Omotayo Alasoadura of Ondo Central, which he co-sponsored by three other lawmakers.
Together; the Senators said the Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream has since December 2017 been inundated with complaints of irregularities in the exercise being undertaken by the Minister of State for Petroleum and the Department of Petroleum Resources.
They said the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the Department of Petroleum Resources have deliberately departed from the subsisting legal framework and due process in the renewal of all oil and gas leases.
In his ruling; the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, appealed to the regulatory and enforcement agencies to wake up to their responsibilities and ensure that the relevant laws are followed.
PDP BACKS NASS
Wednesday, 06 June 2018 12:29
The People’s Democratic Party has backed the resolution reached by the National Assembly against the Executive Arm of the Federal Government.
The PDP said the position of the federal lawmakers was a vindication of its stance on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The opposition party at the national level commended the lawmakers for the courage in standing up for democracy, rule of law and national stability and cohesion.
The PDP recalled that it had consistently pointed out acts of misrule, constitutional violations and abuse of rights of citizens, as well as highhandedness and erosion of democratic norms under President Buhari.
In a statement released by the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party further accused the President of foisting a siege mentality on Nigerians and well as being aloof to important issues of state, thereby resulting in the escalation of violence and killings across the country.
The PDP spokesman said Mr. President must be called to order through appropriate legislative instruments, and urged other democrats across board to support the National Assembly to save Nigeria’s democracy from misrule.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HANDS ULTIMATUM TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Wednesday, 06 June 2018 06:40
The Senate and the House of Representatives have adjourned plenary indefinitely after making a twelve point demand from the Executive Arm of government.
The closed-door session was the first to be held by the two chambers of the National Assembly since the current democratic dispensation began nineteen years ago.
During the meeting; the federal lawmakers observed that Nigeria’s democracy was heading for imminent collapse.
They resolved to liaise with the ECOWAS Parliament; the United Nations, the European Union and Civil Society Organisations in a bid to save the country.
The National Assembly demanded that the security agencies must be given a marching order to check the spate of killings across the country and protect Nigerians
They also called for an end to what they called a systematic harassment, humiliation and persecution of perceived political opponents by the Executive Arm of government.
It is also the demand of the Federal lawmakers that the Executive must ensure strict adherence to the rule of law, and that President Muhamadu Buhari must be accountable for the actions of his appointees.
The National Assembly charged the Executive to show sincerity in the fight against corruption by not being selective and also prosecute government appointees with corruption cases in court.
The lawmakers also demanded that the sanctity of the National Assembly should be protected and preserved, and caution the Executive against interfering in the legislature.
They want the appropriate authorities to prosecute those who invaded the Senate and snatched its mace, which is the symbol of authority.
The Senators and House of Representatives members advised that democratic elections must be competitive and inclusive by removing the present reign of fear and intimidation, as the nation approaches the 2019 elections.
The lawmakers passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly, while maintaining their previous vote-of-no-confidence on the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
Speaking after the joint session, Senate President Bukola Saraki warned that it will not hesitate to invoke its constitutional powers if nothing was done to address the resolutions passed at the joint closed-door session.