Tag: Senate

  • Senate Approves Conditional Electronic Transmission Of Electoral Results

    Senate Approves Conditional Electronic Transmission Of Electoral Results

    The Nigerian Senate has approved the conditional electronic transmission of electoral results. 

    Senators had on Thursday voted publicly along party lines over section 52(3) of the electoral act amendment bill, which deals with electronic transmission of poll results.

    At the end of voting,  28 Senators mostly from the PDP voted for the original amendment in the report while 52 Senators mostly from the APC voted for the amendment as proposed by Senator Sabi Abdullahi.

    This means the majority of Senators voted that INEC may consider electronic transmission provided the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by NCC and approved by the National Assembly.

    A Rowdy House

    Earlier, the Senate was plunged into a rowdy session as the lawmakers contested the amendment of section 52(3) of the electoral act amendment bill.

    The new amendment, which was sought by Senator Sabi Abdullahi from Niger state and seconded by Senator Ali Ndume, provided that INEC may consider electronic transmission so far the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by Nigeria Communication Commission and approved by the National Assembly.

    The controversial amendment sharply divided lawmakers, plunging the session into a rowdy one.

    The Senate President was unable to bring the chamber back to order, forcing the Senate to go into a closed-door session.

    After the senate ended its closed-door session, Senate minority leader Senator Enyinaya Abaribe called for a division challenging the Senate President’s ruling on clause 52(3) on electronic transmission.

    He said he wants Nigerians to know who is voting for what.

  • BREAKING: Senate okays $8.325bn, Euro 490m external loans

    BREAKING: Senate okays $8.325bn, Euro 490m external loans

    The Senate on Thursday approved the Federal Government’s 2018-2020 external borrowing rolling plan of $8.3 billion and 490 million euros.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had written to the National Assembly in May seeking the approval of the plan.

    According to the President, the loan will be sourced from multilateral and bilateral institutions and the issuance of Eurobonds in the international capital market.

    Donor funded projects under the plan, according to the President, will be financed through sovereign loans from the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), Islamic Development Bank, French Development Agency, and the China EXIM Bank.

    Others include, the China Development Bank, European Investment Bank, European ECA, KfW, IPEX, AFC, India EXIM Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

    In his letter, President Buhari had also noted that the projects and programmes to be funded by the plan were based on technical and economic evaluation that will promote employment generation, social protection and poverty reduction.

  • Senate Passes National Electoral Offences Commission Bill

    Senate Passes National Electoral Offences Commission Bill

    The Senate has passed the National Electoral Offences Commission Bill which if assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, will be charged with investigating electoral offences and prosecuting electoral offenders.

    The bill which came up for the third reading during Tuesday’s plenary session will ensure that when established, the National Electoral Offences Commission, shall have the power to appoint and maintain investigators, prosecutors and experts to prosecute electoral offenders.

    The Chairman of the Committee on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya said the creation of the commission is critical because the Independent National Electoral Commission clearly lacks the needed human capacity to prosecute electoral offences committed across Nigeria’s 119,973 polling units.

    “No doubt, electoral offences remain a significant threat to credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria, where elections heighten political tension and trigger violence,” he said.

    “It is also a decisive deterrence through efficient criminal prosecutions in the strategy for defecting electoral offenders.

    “The above underscores the necessity of an active justice system for the prosecution of electoral offenders, which remains critical in ensuring a decrease in the level of electoral impunity and a reversal in the persistent trend of electoral offences.”

  • Lauretta Onochie: Senate’s Rejection Is Victory For Nigerians -PDP

    Lauretta Onochie: Senate’s Rejection Is Victory For Nigerians -PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hailed the Senate over the rejection of Lauretta Onochie as a national commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing it as a victory for Nigerians and democracy.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had nominated Onochie as INEC National Commissioner representing Delta State in October 2020.

    On July 8, the Senate Committee on INEC commenced the screening of the presidential aide on Social Media and four other nominees appointed by the President. They are Kunle Cornelius, Saidu Ahmad, Sani Adam and Baba Bila.

    Five days after, the upper chamber rejected Onochie’s nomination following the massive outcry that trailed her nomination, especially from members of the opposition and civil society organisations who claim she is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Reacting, the PDP in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the “rejection of Lauretta Onochie by Nigerians has saved the nation from very serious crisis as well as salvaged INEC and the entire Nigerian electoral process from a ruinous pollution that would have led to the collapse of our democratic order.”

    He noted that “Onochie’s vexatious nomination, in total affront to paragraph 14 of the 3rd schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), was a very dangerous machination by the Buhari-led APC Presidency against our electoral process, in the attempt to subvert the will of the people in the 2023 elections.”

    The opposition party accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to rig the 2023 general elections, noting that the ruling party “is aware that it will have difficulties winning election at any level in a free, fair and credible election.”

    Ologbondiyan also commended Nigerians including civil society organizations, the media as well as other political parties, for joining forces with the PDP in fighting for the sanctity of our electoral process by resisting Onochie’s nomination.

    He explained that the stiff resistance displayed by Nigerians across board “underscores their collective and unwavering determination to resist and kick out the APC in 2023, despite its shenanigans.”

    While urging Nigerians not to rest on their oars, the PDP wants the masses to continue the fight for the nation’s democracy, particularly in further resisting the attempt to alter the Electoral Act to prohibit direct electronic transmission of elections results from polling units.

    “It is clear that the APC is pushing for the prohibition of electronic transmission of results because it seeks to use its usual malpractices alteration of figures, switching of results as well as disappearance of ballot materials while on transit to collation centers to, again, subvert the will of the people and manipulate its hold on power in 2023.

    “Our party, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Nigerian people, will use every means available and permissible under our laws to ensure that such provision that seeks to institutionalize and endorse rigging is not allowed to pass.

    “The PDP, therefore, counsels the APC to read the handwriting on the wall and know that Nigerians are ready and waiting to resist them at any turn ahead of the 2023 election,” the party’s spokesman added.

  • BREAKING: Senate Rejects Lauretta Onochie’s Nomination As INEC Commissioner

    BREAKING: Senate Rejects Lauretta Onochie’s Nomination As INEC Commissioner

    The Senate has rejected the nomination of Lauretta Onochie as an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner.

    The rejection on Tuesday followed the massive outcry that has trailed her nomination, especially from members of the opposition and civil society organisations who claim she is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    President Muhammadu Buhari had written to the Senate in October 2020, to confirm the appointment of Onochie who is currently his media aide on Social Media, and three others as Commissioners of INEC.

    In her introductory remarks during her screening last Thursday, Onochie, however, insisted she is not partisan.

    While noting that she had seen the petitions against her which were not only from the opposition but also from people in the APC, she said it was because she is known to be non-partisan and someone who insists on due process.

    Onochie, however, insisted that since President Buhari won his second term, she has removed herself from all things political.

    According to her, from 2019 till date she has not had anything to do with any political organisation and did not partake in APC’s recent validation exercise.

  • JUST IN: Senate Screens Lauretta, Others For Position Of INEC Commissioner

    JUST IN: Senate Screens Lauretta, Others For Position Of INEC Commissioner

    The Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has started the screening of the nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari as national commissioners of the electoral umpire.

    One of President Buhari’s aides, Lauretta Onochie is among the nominees to be screened.

    The nomination of Lauretta Onochie who currently serves as Senior Special Assistant on New Media to President Buhari has elicited public criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and civil society organizations who are against her nomination on the grounds that she is an alleged card-carrying member of the ruling APC and is not proper to be appointed as an election officer.

    Details to follow…

  • Senate Approves Buhari’s N2.3trn Foreign Loan Request

    Senate Approves Buhari’s N2.3trn Foreign Loan Request

    The Senate has approved the Federal Government’s request for a $6.1 billion (N2.343 trillion) loan request.

    The Senate gave the approval on Wednesday after it considered a report from its Committee on Local and Foreign Debt which it earlier directed to work on the loan request.

    Presenting the report on the floor during plenary, the Chairman of the committee, Senator Clifford Ordia said the request is not new as it was approved in the borrowing plan when the National Assembly passed the 2021 budget noting that it would be used to fund the budget deficit.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier in May asked the National Assembly to approve the loan request, saying it would be raised from multilateral and bilateral tenders as well as the international capital market.

    Details to follow…

  • Senate Passes Petroleum Industry Bill

    Senate Passes Petroleum Industry Bill

    The Senate has passed the Petroleum Industry Bill known as PIB.

    The bill was passed during the plenary on Thursday after careful consideration of each of the clauses.

    The Senate before passing the bill met behind closed doors with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari.

    The passage of the bill comes exactly 13 years after it was first presented to the National Assembly in 2008.

    On 28 September 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari presented the PIB to the National Assembly for reconsideration.

    The Bill seeks to introduce changes to the governance, administrative, regulatory, and fiscal framework of the Nigerian oil and gas industry, in order to ensure transparency, strengthen the governing institutions, and attract investment capital, among other objectives.

    Senate President Ahmed Lawan said the Senate expects President Buhari to sign the bill as soon as it is transmitted.

    He added that the bill got the input of both the executive and legislative arms of government.

    The Senate then adjourned till July 6, 2021.

  • JUST IN: Senate Approves N74.7bn Budget For Police Trust Fund

    JUST IN: Senate Approves N74.7bn Budget For Police Trust Fund

    The Senate has approved the sum of N74,773,601,916 billion as the 2021 budget for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.

    The approval followed the consideration of a report by the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Police Affairs during plenary on Wednesday.

    Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Dauda Halliru Jika (APC, Bauchi Central), in his presentation, observed that the 2021 NPTF budget is the second since the establishment Act came into being in 2019.

    He disclosed that the total revenue roll-over from 2020 was N23,632,857,141.30.

    Giving a breakdown of the budget, the lawmaker said the sum of N988,279,006.05 is for Personnel Cost; N10,027,610,310.25 for Overheads Expenditure; N11,015,889,316.30 for Recurrent; and N63,757,712,600.00 for Capital Expenditure.

    He explained that the 2021 accrued revenue are as follows: 0.5 percent of the Total Revenue Accrued to Federation Accounts Revenue at N41,867,680,099.00; 0.05 percent of Total Value Added Tax (VAT) N8,824,064,676.00; 0.05 percent of the Net Profit of Companies in Nigeria – N 300,000,000; and Aids, Grants, and Donations – N150,000,000.

  • Senate satisfied with PTAD’s measures to tackle Challenges

    Senate satisfied with PTAD’s measures to tackle Challenges

    Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service has expressed satisfaction with the measures initiated by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, to meet the challenges in the Nigerian pension sector.

    Chairman of the committee and Senator representing Kano Central Senatorial district, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau spoke yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen after a close door session at a one-week involving National Assembly Committees on Pensions, as well as Budget and Appropriation and PTAD holding in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

    Shekarau said the committee on Establishment and Public Service initiated the stakeholders meeting to rob mind with the agency in order to understand their challenges and what they are doing vis a vis their projected budget.

    His words, “We have a close door session retreat. And we encourage this stakeholders meeting because it makes our work a lot easier. In the next couple of months, October, November, traditionally, they (PTAD) will come to present their budget, and we will be able to understand where they are coming from.

    “And it is going to be very helpful to us to move forward. And one other thing we were discussing here is looking into what are their challenges?. I think in this new age of technology the new challenge of PTAD, is going digital. And we in the Legislature are trying to push and let the executive understand the burden in pension.

    ” PTAD had to initiate so many ways to overcome these challenges. So we are satisfied with the measures they are putting in place. I think on the whole the agencies handling pension matters are doing very well. I think we are getting it better now”

    . The former governor of Kano State who commended the agencies handling Pension matters for the improvement recorded in recent years, however, blamed long outstanding issues in pensions on instability in government, and government policies occasioned by military intervention of the democratic process.

    On what is being done to lesson the problems faced by Nigerian pensioners, Shekarau noted that the major problem that pensioners have been having in the country is poor documentation and assured that all the pension administrators are working towards addressing that.

    “So I think they are trying to see how they can perfect the records, because it is not just giving out monies like that, but developing the correct documentation because if you don’t have the correct documentation the problem will continue. Not all next of kin will be sincere enough to report when a pensioner dies, they want to keep receiving.

    “Also some fraudster’s in the various agencies who will not want to report dead pensioners, and keep receiving. And we are calling on government agencies to improve the documentation of their staff and enlighten retirees to be on what to do few months to their retirement. So these are part of the challenges that we are gradually trying to ease up for all pensioners and I think we are getting it better”, Shekarau noted.

    Corroborating Senator Shekarau’s position that efforts were in place to lessen suffering of pensioners, the Executive Secretary of PTAD, Dr. Chioma Ejikeme said the agency was doing everything to make sure that all pensioners were well documented on the payroll , getting them all verified, as well as make sure they receive their pensions regularly and as at when due.

    “But most importantly we are about to come up with a verification solution called “I am alive solution’. Now this I am alive solution will enable Pensioners get themselves verified in the comfort of their homes, or with anybody who has a smart phone around them.

    ” So they will verify themselves and it will hit our data base in our office, that way they don’t have to come to Abuja, or go to any field for verification, so that is what we have in the pipeline now, and the pilot scheme is about to kick off in the next one or two months”, She said.