One of the counsels to Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, who is standing trial for false declaration of assets, Rapheal Oluyede, provoked the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Justice Umar Danladi today, Thursday when he insisted that his motion must be accepted by the Tribunal. The counsel, who was appearing for the second time at the tribunal had risen up shortly after appearances were announced to introduce a motion which he said had been communicated to the tribunal on Wednesday. The lawyer’s motion was the one asking the tribunal’s chairman to disqualify himself from the case. But the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, objected strongly to the motion and interrupted Oluyede. The tribunal chairman dismissed the motion swiftly, saying: “that motion as far as the tribunal is concerned is of no consequence; not worthy to be entertained and is hereby thrown away.” But lawyer Oluyede refused to obey the order which led to a shouting match. In the heat of the argument, an angry Justice Umar ordered police officers at the tribunal to throw his “challenger” out. The courtroom immediately broke into murmurs, and tension was palpable. However, the presence of security men stopped the situation from degenerating any further. [myad]
Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori has been appointed acting Clerk to the National Assembly. The appointment was made today, Wednesday in a letter signed by the Executive Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission, Adamu Fika.
“I am writing you that the National Assembly Service Commission at its 440th meeting held on Wednesday, April 16, 2016, has approved your appointment as Acting Clerk to the National Assembly.”
“The appointment which takes effect from 13th May, 2016 to 15th August, 2016 is in exercise of its powers as provided in the Section 6b of the National Service Commission Act 2014.”
Sani-Omolori will succeed Salisu Maikasuwa who will commence his pre-retirement leave May 14, 2016. The new clerk currently serves as the Clerk to the House of Representatives.
He is the Ciroma of Ebira land, Kogi State, and son of the immediate past Ohinoyi and paramount traditional chief of Ebira.
Born June 7, 1961, in Okene, Kogi state, Sani-Omolori is a 1982 Law graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
He joined the service of the National Assembly in 1992. Before 1992, he had worked as legal officer at the Ajaokuta Steel Company and now defunct National Electric Power Authority.
He was at the Royal Institute of Public Administration, London, where he took a course in Legislative Drafting in 1992.
He also attended Legal Drafting Courses at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in 1991 and the Public Law Centre, New Orleans, Luciana USA in June 2001. [myad]
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is angry with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which had denied that the agency decorated him as its Anti-Corruption Ambassador. Senator Ekweremadu said that the denial by the EFCC which came in two different statements all within a few hours is baffling, inexplicable, and contradicitory. In a statement by his Special Adviser on media and publicity,Uche Anichukwu, the Deputy Senate President referred to the EFCC claim that it had never and could not have decorated anybody as an Anti-Corruption Ambassador, since, according to him, “the Commission is not in the habit of awarding titles to individuals” and referred the agency to December 7, 2007, when the Nuhu Ribadu-led EFCC conferred the Role Model Award in the Fight Against Corruption, on certain persons, including a former President of the Senate, a taxi driver, and a former Justice of the Federal High Court at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja. Senator Ekweremadu wondered whether Mr. Bakari who gave the award could have acted on his own or read from a prepared text without recourse to the Commission, which he represents, especially as the visit and decoration was never solicited for in the first place. Part of the statement read: Our attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly issued by the spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Wilson Uwujaren. We want to put it on record that the EFCC Liaison Officer to the National Assembly, Mr. Suleiman Bakari, and his team, applied for and susbsequently paid a courtesy call on the Deputy President of the Senate in his Office on Tuesday, April 19, 2016. Mr. Bakari, amongst other issues he raised, solicited the support of the Senate and National Assembly towards the anti-corruption crusade of the present administration, and even presented a frame with a bold picture of President Muhammadu Buhari, bearing the inscription: “If we dont kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.” Mr. Bakari also, on behalf of the Acting Chairman, management, and staff of the EFCC decorated Senator Ekweremadu as an Anti-Corruption Ambassador of the EFCC. His words: “It is, therefore my honour, Your Excellency, to on behalf of my Acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu and the entire management and staff of the EFCC, decorate you as an Anti-Corruption Ambassador and formally present this frame, as a token of our appreciation to your person and office, and as a symbol of institutional partnership between the EFCC and the National Assembly”. It is also a fact that the visit and decoration was captured in both pictures and video. As for the purported claim by the EFCC spokesperson that the agency has never and could not have decorated anybody as an Anti-Corruption Ambassador, since, according to him, “the Commission is not in the habit of awarding titles to individuals”, we wish to refer him to December 7, 2007, when the Nuhu Ribadu-led EFCC confered the Role Model Award in the Fight Against Corruption, on certain persons, including a former President of the Senate, a taxi driver, and a former Justice of the Federal High Court at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja. That the said denial by the EFCC is coming in two different statements all within a few hours is, therefore, baffling, inexplicable, and contradicitory. Taking cognisance of the command structure of the agency, we also wonder wether Mr. Bakari could have acted on his own or read from a prepared text without recourse to the Commission, which he represents, especially as the visit and decoration was never solicited for in the first place. We leave the rest to discerning members of the public to read in-between the lines and make their own judgments. However, Ambassador or no Ambassador, the Deputy President of the Senate will not back down from his legislative efforts and advocacy as captured in his several pulbic statements and lectures over the years, pushing for legal and institutional reforms such as Special Anti-Graft Courts; security of tenure and financial autonomy for the EFCC and related agencies. Only such reforms would fast-track justice and insulate the anti-corruption agencies from external interferences and self-reversals.
Uche Anichukwu Special Adviser (Media) to Deputy President of the Senate 20/04/16. [myad]
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, has given an indication that President Muhammadu Buhari may not sign the controversial 2016 budget soon.
The minister, who spoke to news men shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting today, Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, said that talks on the grey areas in the budget are still in progress.
He said: “on the 2016 Budget, we are still talking. On the expectation that we will soon have a budget, the monitoring and evaluation mechanism are designed to make sure that the budget delivers what it promises. That mechanism was looked at by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and approved.”
Udoma said that the meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari also took a look at he 2017 budget, adding that a timetable had been approved.
He said that the purpose of drawing up time table for the 2017 budget is enable the executive to present it to National Assembly and ensure its passage this year.
According to the minister, the Council took a look at the report of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group which in partnership with the National Planning Commission (NPC) organized an economic summit last year and made various recommendations. [myad]
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Dr. Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa who is set to bow out of the assembly, come May 14, 2016, has strong characters which some of his admirers acknowledge, have endeared him to them. Some of such characteristics are his openness, kindness, transparency and doggedness when faced with daunting challenges. Maikasuwa has been able to lead a solid team that had invariably succeeded in implementing his re-orientation programme for over 5,000 workers of the assembly. He has also been able to build productive relationship with the lawmakers. He is a determined person who has attained a lot of accomplishments that have remained unbeatable in the history of the assembly’s bureaucracy since 1999. As a blue-blood prince and a top ranking bureaucrat, he runs with the kings smoothly and also interacts freely with the peasants and subordinates without losing the common touch. Among the landmark achievements of Maikasuwa-led team include complete reorganization and reorientation of the entire civil service of the assembly’s bureaucracy to enable them perform their jobs as expected of them. Maikasuwa and his team have tried to ensure that civil servants function as effectively and efficiently as humanly possible in line with the demands of the much more enlightened and highly sophisticated lawmakers through the introduction of new ideas and improved competencies of the civil servants through constant trainings and the enforcement of laws and rules relating to discipline and performance without any discrimination. He stands above his peers and usually receives commendations due to his sterling attributes. He is a man of compassion and kindness apart from his strong sense of justice which has endeared him to thousands of people. He has touched the lives of a lot of people within and outside Nasarawa state. As a detribalized bridge builder and an individual with an intimidating credentials, it is expected that the CNA would reach the highest peak. As Maikasuwa prepares to take a bow, the National Assembly will long remember him as the CNA who took the assembly’s bureaucracy to new heights of achievements and injected into its governance, the spirit of compassion and progress with a human face. But there is a converse side to Maikasuwa’s story. He has fought tough battles to reach were he is now. At times the battles were even ugly and fierce. But he trudged on and finally destiny was on his side and the entire episode has now become just another story to be retold many times both now and in the future. He has publicly acknowledged the ferocity of the battles but like the good leader that he is, Maikasuwa has also publicly told those involved that he has forgiven them long ago and has moved on to other issues. That is the real Maikasuwa that I know. Anybody who has followed with keen interest the antecedents of Maikasuwa would know that the implementation of all the promises he had made in 2010 when he took over from Prince Ogunyemi were just a matter of time as they have all been attended to one after the other. He is a sincere and God fearing leader who has built his integrity over these years on solid foundation of truth, honesty, fairness and sincerity in all he does at both official and personal level.
The Senate dropped the amendment of the Code of Conduct Bureau/Tribunal Act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. It shelved it for further legislative business. The Senate took the decision after a closed door session, which started by 11:05am and ended at 1:43pm today, Wednesday. The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary, also called off the summon issued to the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar. The lawmakers, however, expressed their resolve to stand by the embattled President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, during his trial by the CCT. Ekweremadu also set up a committee of two of each geopolitical zone to resolve the remaining issues dividing the Senate. [myad]
The operations of Nigeria’s largest indigenous airline, Arik Air, were disrupted by members of several aviation unions today, Wednesday over an alleged N12.4 billion debt owed the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Scores of passengers were left stranded at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Arik Air’s operational base in Lagos, as early as 6.30 am as placards-carrying unionists grounded the operation of the airline.
Some of the passengers were seen demanding a refund from the airline staff while others were making alternative arrangements.
According to a travel news website, the Nigerian Travel Flight Deck, the union members said they resorted to blocking the airline from operating this morning after years of negotiating with the airline over the debt failed to yield any result.
Some of the placards have captions like: “Arik Pay Your 12.4bn Debt”, “FAAN can no longer pay salaries, pension, staff claims due to your debt.” “Debtors pay all you owe FAAN now.” “Arik if you can’t pay don’t fly”, “Arik pay your debt 12.4bn is too much.”
The General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) Olayinka Abioye, in a statement stated: “We are engaged in picketing exercise against Arik Air over its indebtedness to FAAN in the sum of N12.5b”.
FAAN’s spokesperson, Yakubu Datti, confirmed the picketing of the airline but said that he could not provide additional information as the action was a union affair.
The spokesperson of Arik Air, Ola Banji, described the claim that it owed FAAN N12.4 billion as “spurious.”
He added that the airline is already challenging the claim of the union members at a Federal High Court in Lagos, adding that by blocking its operations, the workers were taking laws into their hands.
“The action by the workers’ union is connected with the long-standing and unsubstantiated claim by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) of spurious indebtedness of the airline to the agency which is now before a Federal High Court in Lagos at the instance of FAAN.
“For several months, the management of Arik Air and FAAN have been meeting to reconcile payment accounts between the two institutions. The reconciliation process is still ongoing until the latest actions by the union.
“This is not the first time that FAAN workers’ union will be taking the laws into their hands by disrupting operations of Arik Air.
“The current situation is deeply out of control of Arik Air and the management of the airline has been compelled to suspend all domestic operations for today. This will remain in force until such a time the unfortunate situation is resolved.” [myad]
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has exited his chair for his Deputy Ike Ekweremadu as Senate plenary continues today, Wednesday. This was to enable Senator Saraki to face his 13-count corruption trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
At today’s sitting, the Senators exchanged pleasantries as Senate President, Bukola Saraki handed over Ekweremadu after taking the official opening prayer of the Senate. [myad]
The Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has contradicted itself with its top officer awarding the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu Anti-Corruption Ambassador while the acting chairman of the agency came out to disown such award.
In a statement today, Wednesday by the agency’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC made it clear that the award, conferred on Ekweremadu by National Assembly Liaison Officer of the agency, Suleiman Bakari, would not hold.
Part of the statement goes thus:
Our attention has been drawn to some reports in the print and online media, on April 20, 2016 claiming that the anti-graft agency has decorated the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, as “Anti-Corruption Ambassador.”
According to a statement issued to the Press by the Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President, Uche Anichukwu, the purported decoration, was carried out by the EFCC National Assembly Liaison Officer, Suleiman Bakari who was quoted to have said: “ On behalf of my acting chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu and the entire management and staff of the EFCC, decorate you as an Anti- Corruption Ambassador and formally present this frame, as a token of our appreciation to your person and office, and as a symbol of the institutional partnership between the EFCC and the National Assembly”.
The EFCC totally dissociates itself from the purported action of Sulaiman Bakari as he acted entirely on his own. He clearly acted outside his brief as a liaison officer as the management of the Commission at no time mandated him to decorate Ekweremadu or any officer of the National Assembly as Anti- Corruption Ambassador.
The statutory mandate of the EFCC is the investigation and prosecution of all economic and financial crimes cases, which does not include the decoration of individuals as anti- corruption ambassadors.
The Commission is not in the habit of awarding titles to individuals. And those enamoured of titles, knows the quarters to approach for such honours, not the EFCC
Members of the public and stakeholders in the fight against corruption are enjoined to disregard the so-called decoration.
The Secretary General, Supreme Council of Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN), Mallam Nafiu Baba Ahmed, has described the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ite as being more dangerous than the Boko Haram terrorists.
Ahmed who testified at the judicial commission of inquiry set up by the Kaduna State government to investigate the December clashes between the Nigerian Army and the Shiite members in Zaria said that failure of the government to deal decisively with the alleged excesses of the Shi’ites may be catastrophic for the peaceful coexistence of the country.
He said that the late leader of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf had some relationship with the Shi’ites prior to forming his own group, adding that both Mohammed and the Shiite leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky had similar attitudes in holding onto their respective doctrines, which, according to him, were contrary to Islamic principles.
He alleged that the the Shi’ites had recently started adopting Boko Haram strategy of intimidation and elimination of Ulamas, who were opposed to their doctrines, pointing out that many had refrained from testifying before the commission for fear of the unknown.
Ahmed, who lamented the initial government handling of Boko Haram, noted that small fires would become huge conflagrations if not tackled in an effective and timely manner.
He urged the government to learn from its experience with Boko Haram by dealing decisively with the Shi’ite members to avoid another threat to the fragile peace in the country.
“Failure to act will spell catastrophe for Nigeria,” he added.
The SCSN scribe also emphasized the need for the society to be involved in checkmating the Shi’ite members, pointing out that government decisions were usually dictated by “political expediency”, which may not always reflect the best interest of the people.
According to him, the Shiite leader was attending Kaduna State government Security Council meetings during the administration of former governor Ahmed Makarfi because the former governor regarded El-Zakzaky’s participation as politically expedient due to his large followership.
He attributed the alleged disregard to constituted authorities by the Shi’ite members to the policy of “appeasement and complicity” adopted towards them by successive administrations in Kaduna state with the exception of Col. Hamid Ali (rtd) who, according to him, did not condone their activities.
Ahmed further attributed the Zaria clash to “divine retribution” against the Shi’ite members for their alleged blasphemous utterances, especially their insults on the companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Also in his testimony before the commission headed by Justice Muhammed Lawal Garba, Prof. Isa Mohammed Maishanu of the Usumanu Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS), said the Shiite members had a penchant for violence.
According to him, the series of violent clashes between the Shi’ites and the majority mainstream Muslim population in Sokoto State was as a result of the group’s penchant for provoking the sensitivities of the people in the seat of the Caliphate.
He said based on the activities of the Shiite, it was obvious that they were not interested in peaceful coexistence.
Prof. Maishanu suggested the provision of separate institutions for the Shiite members and other Muslims as practiced in Pakistan, which also has a high population of Shi’ite members, amidst other Muslims.
He however, urged that the “door for dialogue” should not be shut against the Shiite members since they were Nigerians and had nowhere else to go as long as they are ready to avoid provocative attitude and respect the laws of the land. [myad]
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One of the counsels to Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, who is standing trial for false declaration of assets, Rapheal Oluyede, provoked the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Justice Umar Danladi today, Thursday when he insisted that his motion must be accepted by the Tribunal.
