Legislature
Senate explains grey areas in N500b, $800m approval for Tunubu
The Senate has clarified the grey areas in its recent approvals of N500b and $800m which left many Nigerians bewildered over the fear that the new Government of president Bola Tinubu has also come to increase the benchmarks for borrowing.
Nigerians were apprehensive going by how the compliant 9th National Assembly enabled former President, Muhammadu Buhari not only to amass a national record-breaking debt burden in eight years, but also gave approval for more in his last days in office.
The DMO had put the total national debt at N46.25 trillion by December 2022.
However, the Senate spokesperson, senator Adeyemi Adaramodu explained that it approved N500 billion requested by President Bola Tinubu for palliatives to cushion the effect of the Fuel subsidy removal on common Nigerians.
“Yes, the other issue which the Senate treated is the issue of N500 billion palliatives which the President asked for in order to cushion the negative effects of the fuel subsidy removal on the common Nigerians. “Definitely, that may not be enough because there are many other aspects which the government can delve into especially as we learnt that government has been having talks with the organised Labour, and I think the Federal Government is going to do something in that area.
“But in the immediate, what is the stopgap for especially the dependent Nigerians so as to lift them up before other palliatives come?
“We feel the problems too, and that is why we believe that the average Nigerians must be assisted because we are running a human face government. When we are running a human face government, then everything that will be done must be targeted at Nigeria.
“That is why we expeditiously aceeded to the request of Mr. President because appropriations belong to the National Assembly.
“So, no Kobo can be spent without appropriating it by the National Assembly. It took us time to pass it because we have all pointers that this palliative is going to yield result. It is going to touch those people that it supposed to touch. So, that is why it was passed.
He said, the $800 million is like a social security scheme, which the Federal Government has sourced for because “we know that the N500 billion cannot do the magic; so the $800 million will follow in and assisting Nigerians overcome the economic hardship in the country. So, that is why we approved these requests by Mr. President.
On what measures are in place to ensure that the palliatives get to those who ought to get it?
“You know we were not part of the previous palliatives, and for this 10th Senate, we asked questions because all of are concerned; my town is concerned, my Senatorial District is concerned and my State is concerned, and every other person.
“So, we were not part of any previous palliatives and we are not concerned about what was given before. I am not aware of whatever palliatives that had been done before but what is on ground is that when we asked questions about data, data was supplied; and when we asked questions about modus operandi, modus operandi was supplied. “Therefore, there is no reason and there is no point that we should doubt the veracity of those explanations, empirical one for that matter.
“Another thing is that, even when you talk about palliatives in the past, fuel subsidy had never been removed before. So, this one is that fuel subsidy had been removed and everybody knows that one. And this one is targeted to cushion the effect of an action of government, to shore up the economy of Nigeria.
“Therefore, this one cannot go the way of the others. We all know that there had never been a time the government came to the National Assembly to ask for palliatives. It used to be through a Ministry such Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.
“But this one is a direct Federal Government dealing with the citizens and we don’t have any reason to doubt the genuineness of the scheme.
When asked why Federal Government will remove fuel subsidy only to start seeking for a loan of $800 million to cushion the effect in the system?
He said, the issue of $800 million came up towards the end of the last government. “The opinion of many Nigerians was that, when it was just few days to go, where will you expend it? Can you bring up a very good agenda of how you are going to expend it? And if any such money is coming to the coffers of Nigeria, it has to be legislated and it must be targeted at something.
“And you know that it is a World Bank facility. It has been on before the advent of this government. So, it is not borrowing, it is for the national social safety net.
“So, it is very different from the palliatives targeted specifically at Nigerians and to be sourced among Nigerians. It is not borrowing; it is not a loan, we are not approving a loan for the Federal Government.
“It is a World Bank assisted facility that has been there before the 10th Senate.”
He said the Senate is only appropriating the fund since any money that is coming from outside or that is being taken out of Nigeria coffers must be legislated upon, so that is what the Senate has done.
“I have always recommended that when ever appropriation is done, let us avail ourselves of the opportunity of reading through. So that oversighting does not reside only with Assembly people even we as journalists can oversight.
“So if we oversight very well, we know that, there is not a new thing as a budget. When you look at all items here they were part of 2022 budgetary provision. The only one that is new is that N500b which had to be sourced for within the budget that had been in existence.
“So any other budget tittle or heading that is there. Because of the N500b we now first line charge towards the next budget of 2024 which have to start from September. That is the implication.
On N70bn for National Assembly,
“I always say one thing. Even if it is 10k in the budget they write for National Assemby that is what Nigerians will first talk about.
“They would have forgotten that National Assembly is not only about senators or house representatives members. We cannot give ourselves salary, it is not possible, it is illegal. That person will go to jail, there is an organ Revenue Mobilsation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC) that do that. Either salary or allowance National Assembly cannot give themselves kobold. They can’t add or even subtract. RMFAC will never do it for only National Assembly. “When they are doing it they will do it for everybody and they have no reason to do it and it has never been done. Nothing like that has ever happened. “Even when I read sometimes ago, 831% increase, whatever. I said where did that one come from. When they gave me my salary for May, I found out it did not change, it was the same thing with 2019 salary of June 2019.
“That 4 years, my salary never changed. But it is good that we are very alive to it, we have even forgotten that National Assembly includes all those people that work here, messengers and all sorts. You don’t know if I am not here many Nigerians too will not be here. They will be unemployed too.
“Those people who sweep the office, they are there because I am there. There will not just include them to start sweeping outside there, the drivers, the sweepers, and several others and consider even the energy, power and so on.
“When you look at it, it will be paid by the budget allocated to the National Assembly. So when you see National Assembly it is not definitely members.
“If we avail ourselves of having looked at 2022 budget very well you will find out that nothing there is new. The only thing that is new there is that N500b.”
He said why all other things must be brought forward is that we must show it in appropriation to make it a law that yes, these have been like this, these have been like that, we remove N5 from here, N2 from there and N3, we joined them to make N10, that is that N10 that we are spending but everything must still come together.
“So it is not anything to anybody. Our salary, has not increased, allowances have not increased. If it is going to I will clap for myself.
On how the budget would be funded,
Budget funding, “First of all, I want to crave your indulgence about this, maybe One or two years back, we were told the number of litres of petroleum Nigerians are consuming everyday, few weeks ago after the removal of subsidy we now had almost the actual number that Nigerians are consulming. “Now when you subtract that over bloated number from the real number now and you multiply by how much is that is money.
“When you see these fake astonishing merchants who carried only brief cases and call themselves petrol bridgers who made sure they feasted on the resources of Nigeria through oil subsidy, when that one is removed, omnipotently you know that there would be savings. That savings, 2023 budget is already on, that saving would be like an extraneous gain over the budget which had already started.
“When you make budget estimates you will now tell us where the funding will come from but this one now, instead of that N500b which would be available to fund the existing, for bridge or road there, we are pulling them together because of the emergency, whatever, then you are pulling that together now in the emergency and giving it to the people. “Look we can afford to be giving you liters of fuel because it is your own property, your own inheritance but let us turn it to Naira and give that to people, that is the issue of this one, let us turn it to Naira and give that monthly.
“The issue of where money will come from does not arise because they have not come to us to say they want to borrow money. If they come to us and say they want to borrow then we can ask that question, where is the money coming from.
“So whoever, It is like a blind man who threatens you that he is going to throw a stone at you. If the stone is not in his hands he has put his leg on top of the stone. So it is a blind man that want to throw a stone at you, where is the stone, the stone is in his pocket.”
Legislature
Senator Ningi resumes from suspension

After staying away for 75days out of 90 days suspension slammed on him by the Senate on March 12, 2024, Senator Abdul Ningi ( PDP Bauchi Central), formally resumed legislative activities at the Senate on Tuesday in plenary.
On the strength of motion sponsored by the minority leader Senator Abba Moro on behalf of minority caucus, the Senate recalled Senator Ningi from the three months suspension
Recall that Senator Ningi was suspended by the Senate at the committee of the whole on 2024 budget padding allegation leveled against the Senate during interview he had with the BBC Hausa service.
The Senate had recalled the Lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi after 2 Months and two weeks of the 3months suspension slammed on him over his interview in which he alleged padding of the 2024 N28. 7tn budget.
The lawmaker was suspended on the 12th of March, 2023 for three months, but the Senate on Tuesday unanimously resolved to recall their colleague from suspension.
Recall that, Senator Olamilekan Adeola had come under Orders 9, 10, 41, and 51 to move a motion of privilege and issue of national importance against Ningi over his interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Service).
Ningi had, in the interview alleged that the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25tn while the one being implemented by the Presidency is N28.7tn.
The motion, for the unconditional recall of Senator Abdul Ningi was sponsored by the minority leader Senator Abba Moro, Senator Olalere Oyewumi and Senator Osita Ngwu.
Apparently elated to be back in the Senate, Senator Ningi was among the first set of Senators and House of Representatives members to arrive the National Assembly for plenary on Tuesday
Senator Ningi who along with some few other Senators like Suleiman Kawu ( NNPP Kano South), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (PDP Sokoto South) etc , came into the National Assembly through the Villa Gate, arrived exactly at 10: 40am, 20minutes to 11:00am fixed for commencement of plenary which even started at about 12:10 pm .
Following his suspension , Senator Ningi lost his Chairmanship position of the Senate Committee on National Identity and Population, which was allocated to Senator Mustapha Musa (APC Yobe East), two days after the now lifted suspension
Legislature
Minimum Wage: Senate tackles Labour over National Grid Shutdown, disruption of Hajj flight

**Resolves to use legislation to prevent reoccurrence
The Senate on Tuesday expressed displeasure at some of the excesses by some members of Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) and Trade Union Congress ( TUC) during the nationwide strike for new minimum wage on Monday.
The upper legislative chamber declared that the shut down of the National Grid and the disruption of Hajj flight by some labour unionists were more of economic sabotage than agitation for new minimum wage.
It consequently declared that such situation would not be allowed to re – occur as laws against it would be reflected in the new national minimum wage Act that would be enacted soon after submission of bill to that effect by the executive.
Senate’s grouse against the alleged excesses of labour unionists during the now suspended nationwide strike, came through a motion on the strike action and new minimum wage by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour, Senator Diket Plang (APC Plateau Central).
Senator Plang had in the motion, requested the Senate to call on the federal government to expedite action on new minimum wage as a way of stopping the industrial unrest which was however overtaken by sudden suspension of the strike by labour.
But in his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio said though it was heartwarming that the strike has been suspended but the excesses by some labour unionists need to be condemned
“One of such excesses, was the shut down of the National Grid which is more of an economic sabotage than agitation for new minimum wage.
“Disruption of Hajj flight by some other labour unionists as said by the Deputy President of the Senate, is also not palatable being a religious exercise.
“Also, disruption or prevention of students from writing their West African School Certificate Examination by some labour unionists during the strike was bad because the examination is not organized by Nigeria but West African Countries “, he said.
He added that such actions would not be allowed to be repeated as required laws against them, would be reflected in the new National Minimum Wage Bill expected from the executive very soon.
He,however commended the labour unions for calling off the strike
“I want to thank the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress for listening to the voice of Nigerians and the international community by calling off the strike to enable negotiations to continue and we wish them well in the negotiations.
“On our part, we will continue to do our best by making contributions and at the same time awaiting the incoming Bill on Minimum Wage for us to enact for the benefit of all Nigerians”, he said .
Legislature
Senate approves Bill to change National anthem to “Nigeria, We Hail thee”

**Counters AGF, insists Bill does not need wider consultation
The Senate on Tuesday approved a Bill to change the current National anthem titled “Arise O Compatriots ” to the old national anthem “Nigeria, we Hail thee”.
Following the consideration of the report of its Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, and Federal Character, and Inter governmen Affairs on Tuesday, the Senate passed the bill entitled, “National Anthem Bill, 2024” for third reading.
The Senate passed the bill amidst stakeholders misgivings, including Lateef Fagbemi, the Auditor-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice against hasty passage and the need for a wider consultation.
The bill was read for the first and second time last week Thursday at the Senate. It also received an accelerated hearing at the lower house as it was read for the first, second and third time.
The Bill will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent. If signed into law, it will be the first time Nigeria’s national anthem will be given legal backing.
Mongu nu Tahir, the Senator representing Borno North, while presenting the report of the Committee during plenary informed that the Bill seeks to give a legal framework to the national anthem “so that it can bite and bite with all the legal powers embedded in it.”
He clarified that the Bill, despite the concerns raised by the AGF does not need to be subjected to a wider process of citizen participation through zonal public hearings, resolutions of the Federal Executive Council, Council of State, National and State Assemblies, etc.
He insisted that the Bill is an ordinary Bill, not a constitutional amendment and only requires it to be read first, second and third time after a public hearing.
Presenting the committees report, Monguno however said that the new national anthem is apt as it represents the country’s people, culture, values and aspirations.
“The bill is in tandem with the spirit of unity. It will undoubtedly inspire a zeal for patriotism and cooperation. It will promote cultural heritage. Changing the national anthem will chart a path to greater unity”, Tahir said.
He then recommended that the bill be passed. The Senate then resolved to the committee of the whole to consider the report. After which, Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President put the bill to a voice vote and lawmakers supported it.
The Senate president also noted that the AFG is not a lawmaker and does not have a full understanding of how Bill’s are passed.
The bill was consequently read for the third time and passed.
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