Buhari’s ministers must declare assets publicly –Kukah

The Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, says there is a need for President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministers to publicly declare their assets just as Buhari did last month. Kukah, who is also a member of the National Peace Committee, said this at an annual programme titled, “The Platform,” which was organised by the Covenant Christian Centre in Lagos, on Thursday. He said, “Buhari has an opportunity now. I don’t think many of you have been to Buhari’s house in Kaduna but I have been there and I know what it looks like. You heard about his declaration of assets. He must, therefore, make minimum demands of moral conduct and probity from his ministers. As Nigerians, we must ask ourselves what drives corruption. “Corrupt people are not necessarily bad people. A lot of them are not bad people because they do a lot of good things. But we live in a country where too many good people are doing too many bad things.” The cleric said Buhari must set standards for his ministers on the kind of lifestyles they and their families must live. He said for instance, it would be good if the President demands that all the children of his ministers must school in Nigeria. Kukah added, “For me, if you are a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, your children must have their education in Nigeria. That will be good.” While delivering his lecture titled, “Hysteria, euphoria and amnesia: Nigeria’s long walk to freedom,” Kukah said Nigeria had failed to develop because the country had continued to make the same mistakes. Defending his stance that ruling Nigeria should not be only about jailing corrupt people, Kukah said all coups including the first one of 1966 were perpetrated under the pretext of fighting corruption. He, therefore, argued that restructuring the system and plugging all loopholes remains the best way to fight corruption. He said, “If you take the worst Nigerian President and Americans are patient enough to vote for him and he rules America for 20 years, he will not be able to steal up to $50,000 no matter how long he rules because of the kind of system that operates there. “But if you take a British Prime Minister or American President and make him the President of Nigeria, the moment he wants to set up an anti-corruption agency, he will have to bribe the National Assembly.” Kukah said the proliferation of churches or mosques in a country did not necessary imply that the nation would have a high moral standard or development. He said unlike Nigerian leaders, former South African President, Nelson Mandela, was never seen in a church. While comparing former President Olusegun Obasanjo with Mandela, Kukah said the circumstances in the nation prevented Obasanjo from being like Mandela. He said, “Both of them went to prison and became Presidents when they were released but we know that if Mandela had gone to a Nigerian prison, he would have died there. “When Mandela came out of prison, there was a structure in place. His party had been in existence since 1912. It had a doctrine, discipline. When Mandela came out of prison on February 11, 1990 and when he was approached, he said he would have to consult with Oliver Thambo. Mandela was already a party man. “Compare this with President Obasanjo who came into power through the PDP. Look at the circumstances of the formation of the party. Mandela was also fortunate to inherit an economic and bureaucratic system that had been in place for long. Obasanjo inherited a system that was severely weakened.”

Tension over murder of MC Oluomo’s aide

Tension engulfed Oshodi, Lagos State, on Thursday, after Olayinka Mamowora, aka Mamok, a close aide of the Oshodi chapter chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, was killed. Mamok was also said to be a former bodyguard of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives. Our correspondent, who visited the community, observed as some men gathered around the NURTW secretariat on Oshodi Road, drinking alcoholic beverages. Residents said the men were angry at the death of Mamok and could unleash mayhem if the situation was not well managed. It was gathered that 43-year-old Mamok had just returned from the United Kingdom where his family resided. He was said to have gone to Mosaku Street to cut his hair on Wednesday when three gunmen, dressed in black, entered the salon and shot him. His relatives and some residents, who spoke with PUNCH Metro, said he was killed after a bullet hit him in the head. A witness, who asked not to be named, said the incident happened around 8pm. He said, “Mamok had just returned from the United Kingdom where his wife and children live. He was initially at the NURTW secretariat with MC Oluomo. Later, he called a family friend on Mosaku Street that he was coming to cut his hair in his salon. “He went there with another friend, who did not enter the salon. He was cutting the hair when three guys, who wore black shirts, came into the salon and opened fire on him. “He struggled with them for some time, but they overpowered him. They rained bullets on him. One of them shot him in the head and he slumped.” A resident, John, said the victim was dragged out by his assailants, who dumped his corpse on his car, which was parked a few metres away. He said the killers left with only Mamok’s gold chain, but did not steal the money on him. “It was possible that the pistol was equipped with a silencing device because nobody heard any gunshot and knew there was a struggle between him and those people. “After they shot him dead, they dragged him out and put his corpse on his car. They didn’t touch the money on him; they only took away the gold chain he had on. It was while they were leaving that they started shooting into the air and people started running helter-skelter,” he added. A female friend of the victim, who did not identify herself, said the barber, Bayo, instead of raising the alarm, fled the scene. “I don’t see any reason why he would run away when he did not have a hand in the murder. He mopped the blood in his salon, shut the door and ran away,” she said. It was learnt that Mamok’s friend, who saw the assailants struggled with him, alerted Oluomo to the development. PUNCH Metro gathered that Oluomo informed policemen from the Akinpelu division and they all arrived together at the scene of the incident. “Oluomo and the police came into the street later after the killers had gone. The police broke the salon door and took the mop that Bayo used to clean the blood. They picked spent bullets from the salon,” he said. Our correspondent was told that three police vans were parked on the street that night to forestall the breakdown of law and order. A relative, who did not give her name, said the deceased’s corpse had been deposited in a morgue, while his blood-stained car was taken to the station. “The police took the corpse to the morgue and took the car to the station. Some family members have started arriving from the family’s hometown in Ijebu,” she added. Our correspondent observed an Armoured Personnel Carrier on the street on Thursday, while many shops were locked. The house where the barbing salon was located, was also locked. PUNCH Metro gathered that Mamok was killed by a gang loyal to a slain factional leader of the NURTW, Olayemi Eniola, aka Esi-Oluwo. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Mamok was killed because he was suspected to have fired the shot that killed Esi-Oluwo. He alleged that one IK, who was an aide of the slain leader, led the squad that killed Mamok as a reprisal for his boss’ death. He said, “MC Oluomo and Esi-Oluwo were rivals for the leadership of the NURTW in Oshodi. Both men also supported the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, respectively, prior to the general elections. “But Tinubu (a former Lagos governor) mediated in the fight. Some days after, Esi-Oluwo was killed and Mamok was fingered as the culprit. “IK was born and raised in Mamok’s family house on Mosaku Street. He worked with Esi-Oluwo. After the man was killed, IK took over from him and became the strong man of the group. “I saw him patrolling the street throughout yesterday and I was wondering what he was looking for. I never knew he was actually monitoring Mamok’s movements.” The suspect was said to have fled the area after the incident. PUNCH Metro was told that friends of the victim had started threatening reprisals and arsons, but the intervention of Oluomo had kept the situation under control. The Police Public Relations Officer, Joe Offor, promised to get back to our correspondent but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report

Contestant for Ooni stool in alleged N400m fraud, forgery

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has begun investigation into allegations of forgery, fraudulent conversion and obtaining the sum of N400m by false pretence against Mr. Adeyeye Ogunwusi and his firm, Metropole Interproject Limited. Ogunwusi is one of the contestants for the vacant stool of the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Osun State. In a petition written by the chambers of Rotimi Jacobs & Co. dated September 7, 2015, Messrs Sijuwade Holdings Limited stated that in 1993, it purchased a parcel of land measuring 30,000 square metres from the Ojomu Chieftaincy Family at the Lekki peninsula, Lagos, and duly obtained the Governor’s Consent to the transaction. Thereafter, SHL claimed it entered into an agreement with Metropole Interproject Limited for the latter to sand-fill the entire parcel of land, and that upon completion of the sand filling, Metropole would be given 7,500 square metres from the land “to serve as the company’s fees.” The petition stated that after the completion of the sand-filling, Metropole offered to develop the remaining portion of land for SHL, adding that the offer was accepted on the condition that the development would be in phases. The responsibilities of Metropole as stated in the Development Mandate Agreement included the funding of the development and procurement of all necessary permits from the federal and Lagos State governments; as well as the funding/ construction of 24 duplex units on the 7,500 square metres and this was to form the basis of Metropole’s equity in the project entitling the developer to 16 units out of the 24. The petition stated, “Our client (Sijuwade Holdings) gave Mr. Ogunwusi the title document (which was in our client’s name), including the tax clearance of two directors to process the necessary permits required for the construction. After the completion of phase 1, our client requested copies of the approvals and consent, but Mr. Ogunwusi refused to provide them. “Our client engaged the services of a town planner (TG Marchnata) to conduct a search at the offices of the Lagos State Physical Planning and Development Authority. The town planner got copies of all the documents submitted by Mr. Ogunwusi/Metropole for the purposes of procuring the building permits for the construction. “To our client’s surprise, the search revealed that Mr. Ogunwusi/Metropole had forged the title documents by superimposing the name of Metropole Interproject Limited as a co-owner of the parcel of land. The signature of Professor Olawoyin, SAN, who prepared the title document was also forged by Mr. Ogunwusi/Metropole. “Mr. Ogunwusi also submitted a forged Certificate of Incorporation with the name: Metropole Interproject & Sijuwade Holdings Limited. He also forged some documents belonging to the Lagos State Government and uttered same to the Lagos State Physical Planning and Development Authority.” The petition further stated, “Meanwhile, before our client got to know about the fraudulent activities of Mr. Ogunwusi/Metropole, our client had, in line with the agreement it had with Mr. Ogunwusi/Metropole, issued title in favour of Metropole and its nominees for the units due to the company. “Apart from the forgery earlier complained about, Mr. Ogunwusi/Metropole has also sold the eight duplex units that ought to have accrued to our client and he converted the proceeds, running into N400m, to his personal use.” The petitioner, therefore, asked the EFCC to investigate the circumstances under which the title documents were allegedly forged. In a letter with reference CR:3000/LS/EGC-1/VOL. 6/409 and dated September 17, 2015, the EFCC asked the legal firm of Olawoyin & Olawoyin to confirm if the agreement allegedly submitted by Metropole for the building permits was prepared by the firm. The EFCC’s letter was signed by one Abubakar R. Madaki on behalf of the Head of Operations, and stated that the request was made pursuant to Section 38 (1) (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004; and Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012. While responding to the EFCC request, Olawoyin & Olawoyin stated in a letter dated September 23, 2015, “We wish to state that the agreement (a copy of which was attached to your letter under reference) was NOT prepared by our firm. We have taken the liberty to attach to this letter a copy of the actual document that was prepared by our firm and draw your attention to the following differing aspects of the agreement: (a) The front page of the agreement attached to your letter contains Metropole Interproject Limited as a party to the agreement of sale, while in the actual document prepared by our firm, Metropole Interproject Limited is not a party. (b) The signature on the front page of the actual document prepared by our firm is that of the undersigned, Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin, SAN, while the signature attached to the front page of the document attached to your letter is NOT that of Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin. (c) Page 1 of the agreement prepared by our firm does NOT make any reference to Metropole Interproject Limited, while the document attached to your letter makes reference to Metropole Interproject Limited.” When contacted to authenticate the content of the petition, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs of Rotimi Jacobs & Co. confirmed that his firm sent the petition to the EFCC on behalf of Sijuwade Holdings, but refused to comment further. Similarly, Olawoyin confirmed his firm’s response to the request by the EFCC but declined further comments. Ogunwusi, on his part, denied the allegations levied against him and Metropole Interproject Limited, saying he was being maliciously targeted for negative press because of his interest in the vacant stool of the Ooni. He said, “Why are they trying to write damaging reports about me now and why not two, three years ago? The heart of man is full of wickedness. What they are saying is a lie; we have resolved it. They are using it to smear my name. “Oba Akiolu (of Lagos) and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu are aware of the issue. We have resolved it and I don’t know why they are doing this. It is a lie that I put Metropole Interproject Limited as a co-owner of the land; they are trying to expose what they are not; if they chose to fight dirty, I will meet them.” Ogunwusi later made a conference call to a man purported to be Prince Deremi Sijuwade, who said, “I heard something about the petition and I will say it should be discountenanced. I am not sure those things written in the petition are correct; we will come up with an official statement in that regard.” The head of the kingmakers and the Obalufe of Iremo quarter, Ile-Ife, Oba Solomon Omisakin, when contacted on the telephone by one of our correspondents, said he was not aware that a petition had been written to the EFCC against Ogunwusi or any of the contestants for the throne. “I am not aware of such a petition. It is not to my knowledge,” he said. Asked if the kingmakers could use such a petition to screen out the contestant, Omisakin stated, “Until I get to know, I won’t make any comment.” Ogunwusi had on September 19 distributed transformers worth N250m to some communities in Ile-Ife, which had been in darkness for a long period due to faulty transformers. Mr. Leke Ijiyode, who represented him at the ceremony, said Ogunwusi did not distribute the transformers in order to be selected as the next Ooni, but because he had been involved in philanthropic gestures in the community before now. He said the contestant had been involved in assisting indigenes of Ile-Ife in tertiary institutions and other forms of humanitarian services long before the demise of Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

Australia seeks growth of Nigeria mining sector

The Australian High Commission in Abuja and Murdoch University, Australia, are organising a policy workshop to foster growth of Nigerian mining sector and make it contribute positively to sustainable development. The workshop titled, ‘Making Growth Inclusive: The Role of Mining in the Post-2015 Development Agenda,’ holding on Tuesday in Abuja, will discuss policy-oriented research that explores how mining can foster inclusive growth, including through links with agriculture, water delivery, environmental protection and infrastructure. A statement by the Australian High Commission Public Affairs Officer, Hope Ayabina, on Friday in Abuja, said the programme was being coordinated by Murdoch University’s Africa Research Centre and funded by the Australian Government. It stated that the workshop “is one way in which Australia as a leader in many aspects of mining production technology and management is helping to boost the sector in Nigeria.” The statement added that Australia had provided significant capacity building in mining governance and administration through specialised courses, as well as technical assistance to the Ministry of Mines. It said more than 200 Australian mining companies were working in 35 African countries, including Nigeria, with more than 700 projects in exploration, extraction and processing across the continent. “Australia can bring unique knowledge, advanced technology and high standards of environmental management and occupational health and safety to Africa. Australian companies are committed to working in partnership with local communities, including upskilling local workforces,” Australia’s High Commissioner in Nigeria, Jonathan Richardson, said in the statement. Speakers at the workshop include the Permanent Secretary of Mines and Steel Development and Professors from Murdoch University, Australia; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. Participants include stakeholders from government, the private sector, civil society, academia and the media.

Stampede: Sanusi meets Saudi authorities on probe

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, on Friday said he held a meeting with Saudi authorities on the ongoing investigation into the recent stampede in Mina, Mecca. More than 747 Muslims, including 64 Nigerians, lost their lives and 805 others injured at a stampede on the way to Jamarat complex (stone throwing site) on September 24. Addressing pilgrims during a visit to South-South and South-East camps in Mecca, Sanusi said Nigeria had already requested from Saudi authorities a fair and transparent investigation. The emir said he had met with Saudi Minister of Hajj Affairs, who had promised a thorough investigation. He noted that although the Saudi authorities had made adequate arrangement to avoid hitches, the exercise had encountered one of the worse stampedes in the history of Hajj operation. “Vehicular movements were restricted in parts of Mecca on Arafat and Jamarat days all in an effort to have hitch-free movement to the stone throwing site. But unfortunately and as God wishes, there was stampede in one of the road leading to the stoning complex. “All of us have our time. No one can spend more than a second when it comes. The stampede cannot be stopped by anyone as that is an act of God,’’ he stressed. The emir added that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria had received complaints on accommodation in Mecca and Mina from stakeholders, assuring the people that issues raised would be addressed before the next hajj operation.

Obiano pardons man after 25 years in jail

The Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, on Thursday, released a man who had spent 25 years behind bars. He also released 24 others to mark this year’s independence anniversary. A prison official, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that the man, whose further particulars were not disclosed, had been in prison since 1990. “The prisoner has been in prison since 1990. The governor was moved by his plight. He was not jailed for a capital offence,” the official said. The state governor, who noted in his independence anniversary speech that he saw hope in Nigeria, said he had to release the detainees based on humanitarian grounds. He said, “Brothers and sisters, I see hope for Anambra State. I see hope for Nigeria. It is along this line that I have decided to give hope to the hopeless amongst us by exercising my prerogative of mercy and granting amnesty to 25 prisoners serving different terms in the three prisons in Anambra State. “This special anniversary of our nationhood calls for a sober reflection. 55 years ago, when the Green-White-Green Nigerian flag replaced the British Union Jack, our founding fathers dreamt of a country whose greatness would finally announce to the free world, the rise of a superpower in black Africa. “They dreamt of a strong country whose inherent potential would outweigh its inborn socio-cultural inhibitions and whose promise would outshine the teething problems of nascent nationhood. Our founding fathers had rightly hoped and prayed for the sun to rise in Nigeria and for a moment, their wishes seemed granted.” The governor said that 55 years after independence, Nigeria had survived successive waves of pogroms and a bloody Civil War. He said, “We have repeatedly danced on the edge of the cliff and experienced harrowing moments of civil disturbances, religious and ethnic violence and widespread uncertainty and doubt about our corporate future. “Right now, the dark clouds of insurgency hovers over the North-East of Nigeria and all over the country, a general sense of insecurity reigns. But Nigeria is stronger than all her challenges and Nigeria will survive through it all. When I look at what we have been through in Anambra State and how far we have come, it gives me hope for Nigeria.”

Nigeria not doing badly at 55, says Obasanjo

A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said the country is not doing badly as it celebrated its 55 years of nationhood on Thursday. The former President, who spoke with journalists at his Hilltop Presidential residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, noted that even developed nations of the world have had their own time of challenges. He said Nigeria was also taking steps gradually to overcome its challenges. Obasanjo said, “Fifty-five years in the life of a nation is comparatively young and when you look at the life and history of those that you may call settled societies or reasonably mature countries, we are not doing too badly. “They have had missteps just like we are having missteps. They have made mistakes and most of them have learnt from their mistakes. They have been dynamic in the way they have progressed and I believe that we are doing the same thing.” Obasanjo said the leaders and the led needed to ensure that “certain cardinal principles, cardinal features of our national life, and values” were not eroded. “And then, we should also be willing to learn from our mistakes,” he added. Obasanjo, who said Nigeria had the potential to become a great nation, stressed that what needed to be done to realise this would require all hands to be on deck. “Men, women, Muslims, Christians, young and old, irrespective of our location, our tribe, our social standing, should know that Nigeria needs all hands on deck. “And we must also realise important issues that we must not play with. We must not play with the issue of education, we must not play with the issue of the health for our people, and we must not play with the issue of employment for our teeming population, particularly for our youths. “We must not play with the issue of the economy, we must not play with the issue of security and peace, we must not play with the issue of justice. “Justice and peace go hand in hand, we can’t have injustice and expect peace to reign supreme.” The former President also noted that corruption must be totally eradicated, and must not be allowed to have a resting place within the Nigerian society. “We must kick corruption out because it destroys almost everything and I am not talking about corruption of money alone; I’m talking about the corruption of attitude, nepotism, favouritism. They are corruption in different forms and all aspects of corruption must be kicked out of our society,” he said. Obasanjo, who had just returned to the country from the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which was held in New York, said world leaders had favourable impression of President Muhammadu Buhari. He said, “I heard some of the comments of those he (Buhari)met, the comment that probably would not come back to him. He met former US President Bill Clinton for almost one hour and President Clinton, when I joined him for his global initiative, talked to me about his impression of our President, it was favourable. “Gordon Brown and I met him and we talked about issues. The few other leaders who met him gave me their impression and his debut so to say. It has been good.”

Nigeria is not a failed state, say NLC, TUC

The Organised Labour Movement in the country has said that Nigeria is not a failed state, irrespective of the myriad of challenges. The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress stated this in separate messages to mark the country’s 55th Independence Day anniversary on Thursday in Lagos. The TUC President, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, said that there was no problem which the nation presently faced after 55 years of independence that it would not be able to surmount. Kaigama identified some of the challenges bedevilling the country as ethnicity, nepotism, unemployment, poverty and hunger, widespread corruption, non-ideology based politics, insecurity, insurgency and kidnapping. According to him, others are mismanaged economy, free-fall of the Naira, high taxation, increase in electricity billing systems and casualisation of labour. He said countries that are advanced in their democracies also have their peculiar problems, “yet their citizens have not dismissed them or redrawn their maps.” Kaigama urged the people to exercise patience and support President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfil his promise of good governance. He further advised the government to remain focused to be able to achieve its desired good governance in order to make a positive change in the country. The NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, also called on Nigerians to support the President in delivering improved governance. Wabba blamed the performance of the economy before the general elections on dwindling oil sales in the international market, fiscal indiscipline, rising cost of governance and unhelpful macro- economic policies. He said it was regrettable that before the general elections, the economy dropped to its lowest ebb to the extent that funding the 2015 budget was difficult and the government had to borrow to pay salaries. He said that not all ministries, departments and agencies were paid, and apart from some states, the rest were unable to pay salaries or pensions, leading to a backlog of up to six months or more of unpaid salaries. He urged the government to put in place a response strategy that could mitigate the after- shocks and ensure a robust recovery.

Jonathan spent N64bn on independence anniversaries –El-Rufai

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el- Rufai, has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for budgeting N70m for the Independence Day anniversary. El-Rufai noted in a Facebook post on Thursday that under former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Federal Government spent billions every year on Independence Day. He noted that between 2011 and 2014, Jonathan spent over N64bn celebrating Independence Day. Curiously, in 2010 Jonathan budgeted N10bn for Nigeria’s golden jubilee celebration. He wrote, “This is the APC/PMB change we voted for. Independence anniversary expenditure for the past five years: 2011 – N13bn; 2012 -N15bn; 2013 – N14bn; 2014 – N22bn; 2015 -N70m In a separate post titled, ‘Our chance for national rebirth’, el-Rufai urged on the people of Kaduna not to lose hope. He noted that the nation was not yet where it ought to be but with purposeful leadership, things would get better. The governor subsequently pardoned some convicted prisoners. He said, “On this occasion, the Kaduna State government decided to extend mercy to prisoners. Pursuant to Section 212 of the constitution, the prerogative of mercy was exercised in favour of 14 prisoners. “The government commuted the death sentences of five convicts, who will now serve prison time. Five prisoners serving sentences of three years and above were released on the basis of good behaviour or time served already. “In addition, three prisoners were released on the basis on age while one person was released due to ill health. In doing our duty to show mercy, the government warns that it will not tolerate crime and threats to security.” He said one of the highpoints of the last 55 years was the 2015 general elections which saw the defeat of his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, and the victory of the All Progressives Congress which will ensure the needed change. He thanked Nigerians, specifically the people of Kaduna for voting for change and steering the nation to the path of greatness. El-Rufai said, “We can celebrate because 2015 is the year that the people of this country decided it was time to begin the rebirth of a nation. Against the most concerted campaign ever mounted by a government to divide the people it was meant to lead, Nigerians refused to be set against one another. “I pay tribute to the many sacrifices that were made to make the historic elections of this year possible. What the voters of 2015 did was to make democracy a bulwark of patriotism. In other words, the people cast their votes for their country. May we never again be saddled with people who (rated) themselves above the country.” The former minister said education remained the key to development. He, therefore, declared a state of emergency in the education sector. He said, “Education is emancipation! Education is freedom from want and disease! The provision of free basic education in decent schools and with skilled teachers is one of the priorities this government will accomplish in its four-year term. “We have spent the past few months planning school repairs, the provision of school furniture and the training of teachers. Today, we move to declare a state of emergency in education. We ask for your support as we begin to implement extraordinary measures in the educational sector.”

Ministerial list: Senate sets criteria for screening Wed. • It’s no longer business as usual –Saraki

The Senate willon Wednesday decide the procedure for screening ministerial nominees submitted to it by President Muhammadu Buhari. The Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, who said this in an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents on Thursday in Abuja, assured Nigerians that the screening of ministerial nominees would not be delayed by the upper legislative chamber. Ndume said that the screening by the Senate would be thorough just as the nomination process adopted by the Presidency was. He said, “The communication from Mr. President, which contains the list of the ministerial nominees and which remained sealed as I am talking to you, will be opened by the Senate President as soon as we resume plenary on Tuesday. “It will appear on the Order Paper on Wednesday morning and the Senate will set up the necessary legislative procedure for the screening exercise. I wish to assure Nigerians that the screening exercise will be thorough just the way the nomination process was thorough.” The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had on Wednesday confirmed receipt of the ministerial nominees list from the Presidency. Already media speculations had indicated that 21 names were contained in the list and that a former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola; and a former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, made it. Also said to be on the list are Kayode Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State; a former governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige; and a one-time governor of Abia State, Ogbonaya Onu, among others. Saraki also on Thursday said the process of lawmaking in Nigeria would no longer be business as usual. He said he would ensure that the National Assembly under his leadership was people- oriented. The Senate president spoke in an interview with State House correspondents shortly after taking part in an event to mark the country’s 55th independence anniversary inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said, “I am hopeful and confident that the future is very bright. In the next few years, things will be even better. “It will not be business as usual. We will ensure that the National Assembly will be people- oriented and will make laws that will make impact on Nigerians.” In a separate interview, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, said the nation had been progressing on the right path. “We will make it by the grace of God. We are on the right path,” he said. But the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, told reporters that the nation had finally discovered that it had been on the wrong path for long. He said the nation had finally moved to the right path. “At 55, we have finally discovered that we are on the wrong road. We have finally moved to the road that leads to progress, hope, employment, prosperity and that will lead to Nigeria finally attaining that greatness that God destined it for. We are on the way,” he said. Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress member representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Hamma Missau, said on Thursday that his colleagues, and not Senate President, Bukola Saraki, prevented Senator Ahmad Lawan from becoming the Senate Leader. Missau told journalists in Abuja that the APC caucus in the Senate had no option but to align with the position of their North-East colleagues who insisted on Senator Ali Ndume as their preferred choice for the seat. He said the South-West caucus of the party for instance, had no issue with the choice of Senator Olusola Adeyeye as the Chief Whip by the party hence they elected him as their leader even when his name was on the party’s list submitted to the Senate President. Misau, therefore, said that Saraki should not be blamed for the inability of Lawan to emerge as Majority Leader of the Eighth Senate as proposed by the leadership of the APC. He explained that rather than blame Saraki, aggrieved party members should focus attention on the North-East caucus of the APC in the Senate, who overwhelmingly voted against the party’s choice. “Out of the 11 Senators who are members of the caucus, eight voted for Ndume while three voted for Lawan and since politics is a game of numbers, the candidate with majority of the senators emerged as leader,” he said. Misau noted that the explanation became necessary in view of the belief that the senate president deliberately antagonised the party leadership by refusing to name Lawan and the others into leadership positions. He said, “Many people did not know or understand what happened then. Truly, many of us prefer Ndume to Lawan. The fact that Ndume contested the post of Deputy Senate President and at that time and he sought the support of most senators, made it easy for him to get our support. “In any case, Senator Lawan never told anybody that he was interested in the post of the majority leader. We therefore voted for a person who actually lobbied and sought for our support. So, we take responsibility for our decisions. Nobody should blame the Senate President. “The Senate President is just first among equals. He represents one district like every other senator. He is not like a state governor or President who has executive powers and discretion to select ministers and commissioners. “The Senate President must always do what the senators want and must even carry along his colleagues at all times. Saraki is very popular among us today because he is always respecting our opinion and usually doing what we want. “He has a way of relating to all of us as equals that we are and trying to aggregate the overall interest and position of majority in taking decisions. So, when we said we wanted Ndume as Senate majority leader, he could not have done otherwise.”