Nation
Service Chiefs, Ambassador-Nominees Top Agenda As Senate Resumes, ‘Morrow
After 48 days at home following the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Senate would resume tomorrow to face the challenges of legislating for the country and ensuring that good governance is in place.
In line with the Senate Legislative Calendar, the Senate adjourned December 22, 2020, and proceeded for Christmas and New Year holidays after passing the 2021 budget into law, just as it was to resume plenary January 26, 2021.
Preparatory for the resumption, the National Assembly came up with a statement, postponing the resumption of its plenary sessions to Tuesday, February 9, 2021.
The notice of postponement was contained in a statement issued by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Ojo Amos Olatunde.
According to him, the development was due to the membership registration and revalidation exercise of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which commenced on Monday, January 25.
As the Senator Ahmad Lawan-led Ninth Senate resumes, there are various issues, especially the unfinished jobs and new ones that must be accomplished.
During the holiday, President Muhammadu Buhari wrote to the Senate, seeking for the screening and subsequent confirmation of the newly appointed service chiefs.
Buhari, in a letter to the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, dated January 27, 2021, said that the screening was being sought in furtherance of Section 18 (1) of the Armed Forces Act Cap. A. 20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
As the Senate resumes, its various Committees on Army, Navy, Air Force and National Security and Intelligence would be saddled with the responsibility of screening and to subsequently forward to the senators for confirmation of the names of the new service chiefs.
President upon nomination for appointment sought confirmation of the Senate for the appointment of Maj-Gen Lucky Irabor, Maj-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo, and Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao as Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff, respectively.
This was done in furtherance of Section 18 (1) of the Armed Forces Act Cap. A. 20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
In a statement in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters, Senator Babajide Omoworare, he said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has communicated the appointment of the service chiefs to the National Assembly and has sought for the confirmation of the said appointment by the Senate through his letter to the Senate President dated January 27, 2021.
“When hopefully Mr. President’s communication for consideration and confirmation of the nomination for appointment of the service chiefs would be undertaken.
“Before this administration, confirmation of service chiefs were not sought and obtained from the National Assembly in consonance with the provisions of Section 18 (1) of the Armed Forces Act Cap. A. 20 LFN. We are aware that in Keyamo Vs. President & Ors, the Federal High Court set aside the Armed Forces Modification Order 2008 (purportedly made under Section 315 [2) of the Constitution) on July 1, 2013, and ruled that the confirmation of the National Assembly must be sought for the appointment of the service chiefs. We are in compliance with the spirit and letters of both the statute and case law.”
One other major assignment that must be accomplished before the very eyes of the senators upon resumption is the confirmation of the names of the immediate past service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Intelligence sent by President Buhari to the Senate as non-career ambassadorial nominees.
With this development and upon resumption of the National Assembly, tomorrow, President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, would read the President’s letter on the floor of the Senate, and thereafter, the names coming up as Executive Communication on Wednesday by the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, All Progressives Congress (APC), Kebbi North, the President of the Senate will then refer the names to Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, APC, Bauchi North-led Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening, then report back at plenary for confirmation.
In a letter to President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, the President said, “In accordance with Section 171 (1), (2) (c) & Sub-Section (4) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the under-listed five names of nominees as non-career ambassadors-designate.”
According to the statement, “The nominees are: Gen Abayomi G. Olonisakin (rtd ), Lt-Gen Tukur Y. Buratai (rtd), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd), and Air Vice Marshal Mohammed S. Usman (rtd).
It would be recalled that President Buhari had on January 26, accepted the resignation of the former service chiefs and nominated new ones to take over.
As the Senate resumes plenary, tomorrow, another issue that would top the agenda is the elongation of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu by President Buhari.
He was billed to retire from service on Monday, February 1, 2021, but his tenure was extended by three months.
The Senate would look at the legality of the action of the President as the issue when it comes up may be stormy as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Caucus may form an opposition against the elongation, but at the end of the day, the minority will have its say while the majority will have its way.
Another issue is the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) against the backdrop that the President of the Senate, had assured that as Nigeria begins a New Year, 2021, the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill 2020 (SB) 510 will be passed by the end of the first quarter of the year.
Lawan, who spoke at a two-day public hearing on the PIB at the National Assembly, said any further delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) would cost more colossal losses to Nigeria’s economy.
He had said, “topmost on the priority list are the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which we need, to boost activities in our oil and gas sector. The PIB has defied passage for about two decades but we are determined this time around to break that jinx and pass the Bill by the end of the first quarter of the New Year.”
The lingering PIB was sent for the first time to the National Assembly in December of 2008 by the late Umaru Yar’Adua as the then President of Nigeria.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian Military is committed to facilitating sustainable food security in the country through the establishment of farms.
Musa said this in Abuja yesterday during the unveiling of the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products Logo.
He noted that the agricultural sector played crucial role in guaranteeing food security which was requisite for sustainable national security.
He said that the adverse impact of climate change, environmental degradation and conflict across some parts of the country had continuously threatened food security with dire consequences on national security.
According to him, to address this, the Defence Headquarters in May 2023, conceptualised the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative.
“This is with the aim of keying into the federal government’s efforts at addressing food security challenges in the country.
“The initiative which aligns with the ‘People Centric’ policy thrust of my leadership concept is aimed at creating job opportunities and enhancing rural infrastructural development while significantly contributing to food security in the Country.
“Considering the extensive consultation, planning and preparation made by the committee thus far, I am optimistic that the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative will have a positive transformative impact on host communities while enhancing national security.
“With similar initiatives replicated across the country, I envision a future characterised by modernised farming techniques in which the agricultural sector significantly contributes to economic growth and national development.”
The CDS enjoined all members of the Armed Forces and the general public to embrace the initiative and maximise its associated gains.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, for his sterling leadership and relentless pursuit of national peace, security and economic prosperity.
He also appreciated the efforts of members of the committee who worked assiduously to actualise the initiative.
Earlier, the Chairman, Defence Farms Committee,