Headline

Lawan Frowns at Senators Collecting Signatures to Veto Buhari

Published

3 years ago

December 22, 2021

Eric

Some Senators on Tuesday commenced moves to override President Muhammadu Buhari on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill with the collection of signatures.

Twice, the senators went into executive sessions that lasted for about two hours on Tuesday.

Daily Trust gathered that the lawmakers’ move to override the president was hatched during the second session.
A cross-section of senators who attended the sessions said the passage of the 2022 appropriation bill earlier scheduled for Tuesday was suspended, as many of the lawmakers insisted on overriding the president before the passage of the fiscal document.
Buhari had in a letter to the National Assembly, dated December 13, 2021, titled ‘Withholding of assent to Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021’ withheld his assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, citing economic, security, and legal issues.

While faulting the removal of indirect primaries as contained in Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010, Buhari said the amendment as proposed violated the underlying spirit of democracy, which is characterised by freedom of choice.
The president also said the amendment would also stifle smaller parties without the enormous resources required to mobilise all their members for the primaries. This, he said was not healthy for the sustenance of multi-party democracy in Nigeria.

Section 58 (5) of the 1999 Constitution empowers lawmakers to override the president.

It reads; “Where the President withholds his assent and the bill is again passed by each House by a two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required.”

During the plenary yesterday, many senators said reasons advanced by the president did not hold water, saying refusing to assent to the bill amounted to rejecting the will of the people.
Midway into the session, the Senate dissolved into executive session following a point of order by Senator George Sekibo (PDP, Rivers).

Sekibo said the Senate needed to discuss the president’s decision to withhold assent to the much-awaited bill before passing the 2022 budget.

The closed session, which commenced at 1.57 pm, lasted for about 40 minutes.
Several senators confirmed that signatures were collected in the chamber to get the buy-in of lawmakers to override the president’s veto.

Sekibo, after the Senate adjourned sitting to Wednesday, said: “By law, we have the power to override him (Buhari). That is what Section 58 (4 & 5) of the constitution said.

“We have collected signatures, about 73, to override the veto and it cuts across party lines.”

A ranking lawmaker, who corroborated Sekibo’s claims, said there was a groundswell of support to override the president.

“We are praying that it is going to happen tomorrow (today). We just signed up, everybody wanted it, today alone, 78 senators signed, but then they started throwing spanner in the works because at first the Senate president; he is full of pretence, he pretended that he believed in it, then all of a sudden he asked for a private audience and suspended plenary and then he left,” the senator said.
Another senator, who preferred not to be named, said all members of the Senate present at plenary, except the presiding officer, supported the decision to override the president veto on the bill.

“We are coming tomorrow to decide on the bill. The decision to override the president on the electoral bill has the support of all senators that were present. Only Lawan was on the other side,” he said. Efforts to hear from the spokesman of the senate president, Ola Awoniyi were not successful as he did not pick his calls.

Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue) said the reasons given by President Buhari to withhold assent were not enough and that senators were fully prepared to override him.

An APC lawmaker from the North said the passage of the 2022 budget was suspended following the insistence of his colleagues.

“They have the numbers now. As at last count, they had 81. The number keeps increasing. It has been agreed that votes be taken tomorrow. From all indications, the president’s veto would be overridden,” he said.

Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP, Edo) said the federal lawmakers consulted widely across their constituencies to reach an informed decision on the bill.
“This is not the first time it is happening in Nigeria. The NDDC Bill of 2001 was vetoed by National Assembly under Obasanjo who was a PDP president. The National Assembly should extricate itself from public disrespect by going ahead to override President Buhari. History stares National Assembly in the face if indeed it is not a rubber stamp legislature,” he said.

Saharareporters

Headline

Tinubu Presents N47.9trn 2025 Appropriation Bill to NASS

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Eric

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, presented the proposed 2025 federal budget to a joint session of the National Assembly.

The N47.9 trillion budget saw a whopping N3.5 trillion allocated to the education sector.

Other sectors that got higher allocations include defence and security – N4.91tn, infrastructure – N4.06tn and health – N2.4tn.

“It is with great pleasure that I lay before this distinguished joint session of the National Assembly, the 2025 Budget of the National Assembly of Nigeria titled, ‘The Restoration Budget’ security peace, building prosperity,” Tinubu said as he concluded his 30-minute presentation at 1:10pm.

This budget highlights the government’s focus on improving education, healthcare, and infrastructure, in line with its ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ aimed at boosting the economy and addressing key national priorities.

The live broadcast of the budget presentation today revealed the government’s plans for the next fiscal year. With a strong emphasis on human capital development, the president highlighted the budget’s commitment to improving the nation’s economic foundation.

Education sector receives major funding

A significant portion of the 2025 budget is dedicated to education, with N3.5 trillion allocated to the sector. President Tinubu stated that part of this funding would be directed toward infrastructure development, including support for Universal Basic Education (UBEC) and the establishment of nine new higher educational institutions.

“We have made provision for N826.90 billion for infrastructural development in the education sector,” Tinubu said.

This allocation aims to improve educational facilities and support ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s educational system.

Focus on human capital development

During the presentation, the president emphasized the importance of investing in Nigeria’s human capital. “Human capital development, our people are our greatest resource. That is why we are breaking record investment in education, healthcare, our social services,” he remarked.

Tinubu also pointed to the N34 billion already disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to assist over 300,000 students.

The budget includes continued investments in healthcare and social services as part of the broader goal of enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians.

Strengthening the economy and national security

Tinubu highlighted that the 2025 budget is designed to build a robust economy while addressing critical sectors necessary for growth and security.

“This budget reflects the huge commitment to strengthening the foundation of a robust economy, while addressing the critical sectors essential for the growth and development we envision; and secure our nation,” he said.

The budget aims to tackle key challenges and foster long-term economic stability by prioritizing infrastructure and development in key sectors.

Healthcare and social services allocations

In addition to education, Tinubu focused on the allocation for healthcare and social services. The government plans to increase investments in healthcare infrastructure and services to ensure broader access to essential healthcare for Nigerians.

These investments are part of the administration’s strategy to improve overall living conditions and enhance public health across the country.

President Tinubu’s proposed 2025 budget is said to reflect the administration’s commitment to achieving its development objectives, with a focus on economic growth, human capital development, and infrastructure improvement.

As the National Assembly reviews the budget, the president reiterated his administration’s resolve to address the nation’s most pressing needs.

Source: Nairametrics

Headline

Ghana’s President-elect Mahama Visits Tinubu in Abuja

Published

5 days ago

December 17, 2024

Eric

Ghana’s President-Elect, Dr. John Dramani Mahama, a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu at his residence, Presidential Villa, State House on Monday.

Mahama won 56 percent of the votes in this month’s presidential election, compared to the ruling party candidate and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who secured 41 percent.

The landslide comeback for former president Mahama ended eight years in power for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) under President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose last term was marked by Ghana’s worst economic turmoil in years, an IMF bailout and a debt default.

Headline

I Stand by What I Said, Kemi Badenoch Replies VP Shettima

Published

1 week ago

December 12, 2024

Eric

The leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has lashed back at Vice President Kashim Shettima over the latter’s reaction to her comments about Nigeria.

Badenoch was born in the UK in 1980 to Nigerian Yoruba parents.

Badenoch, who attained age 16 in Nigeria before departing the country for the UK where she was elected Conservative Party’s leader, described Nigeria as a nation brimming with thieving politicians and insecurity.

However, Shettima, while speaking at the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, December 9, 2024, accused Badenoch of “denigrating her country of origin” with her remarks.

The vice-president listed influential people whose families had migrated to other countries, commending former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as a “brilliant young man who never denigrated his nation of ancestry.”

Reacting on Wednesday, Badenoch lashed back at Shettima, saying she doesn’t do “PR for Nigeria”.

Her spokesperson, as the Tory leader, according to UK Express, said: “Kemi is not interested in doing Nigeria’s PR; she is the Leader of the Opposition in the UK.

“She tells the truth; she tells it like it is; she isn’t going to couch her words. She stands by what she said.”