Senate

By Anwar Usman 

The Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s loan request of $2.2 billion to partially finance the ₦9.7 trillion budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year. 

The approval followed the presentation of a report by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Aliyu Wamakko, during plenary session. 

While leading the session, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau commended the committee for its swift action and thorough examination of the loan request. 

In a letter presented during the Senate and House of Representatives plenaries on Tuesday, Tinubu explained that the loan was integral to his administration’s fiscal strategy for the coming year. 

“The Presidential request for $2.2 billion, equivalent to ₦1.77 trillion, is already stated in the external borrowing plan for the 2024 fiscal year,” Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated while reading the letter. 

He further instructed the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts to expedite its review of the request and present a report within 24 hours. 

“The Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans should, therefore, give the request expeditious consideration and report back within 24 hours,” Akpabio said.

Although the deadline was passed on Wednesday, the committee submitted its findings during Thursday’s plenary, leading to the loan’s approval. 

Details later…

By Uzair Adam 

The Senate has approved the nomination of several new ministers following a rigorous screening process. 

Among those confirmed are Yusuf Abdullahi Ata as Minister of State for Housing and Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

Other appointees include Dr. Jumoke Oduwole as Minister of Industry, Trade, and Development, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and Muhammadu Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment. 

Idi Muktar Maiha was also confirmed as Minister of Livestock Development, and Dr Suwaiba Said Ahmad was confirmed as Minister of State for Education.

The Senate dedicated approximately five hours to screen and confirm the nominees following a motion by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele to suspend certain procedural rules. 

This suspension allowed the Special Adviser to the President on Senate matters, Basheer Lado, to introduce the nominees during the plenary session.

Last week, Senate President Godswill Akpabio read out President Bola Tinubu’s letter listing the nominees for the ministerial positions.

By Uzair Adam 

Senator Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South in the National Assembly, disclosed that his monthly take-home package amounts to over ₦21 million. 

This revelation came just 24 hours after the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) stated that each of the 109 senators in the Nigerian Senate receives a monthly salary and allowances totalling ₦1.06 million.

The RMAFC Chairman, Mohammed Shehu, had clarified that senators’ official earnings include a basic salary of ₦168,866.70, along with various allowances such as ₦126,650.00 for motor vehicle fueling and maintenance, ₦42,216.66 for personal assistant, and other minor allowances, bringing the total to ₦1,063,860.00 per month.

However, in an interview with BBC Hausa, Senator Kawu revealed a stark difference in the figures, explaining that while his monthly salary is indeed around ₦1 million, additional administrative fees and allowances he receives as a senator bring his total monthly earnings to ₦21 million. 

According to Kawu, this amount covers various office running costs, including domestic travel and newspaper purchases.

The controversy surrounding the earnings of Nigerian federal lawmakers has been reignited, especially after former President Olusegun Obasanjo criticized the practice of lawmakers setting their salaries and allowances, labelling it as immoral. 

Similarly, a former senator from Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, had previously disclosed that senators receive a monthly running cost of ₦13.5 million in addition to their salaries. 

The debate continues as Nigerians scrutinize the actual earnings of their representatives in the National Assembly.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has announced that the newly approved minimum wage of N70,000 applies to all workers across both public and private sectors, including domestic staff such as housemaids, drivers, and gatemen.

Akpabio made this statement during a plenary session on Tuesday, emphasizing that the minimum wage is not limited to formal sector employees.

He explained that employers, including individuals, cannot pay their domestic staff below the approved minimum wage.

The Senate President congratulated the Nigeria Labour Congress, Nigerians, and the National Assembly on the passage of this “epoch-making legislation,” which reduces the term of negotiations from five years to three years due to the increasing cost of living.

This development means that all employers, including those in the private sector, must ensure they comply with the new minimum wage requirement for their employees, including domestic staff.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigerian Senate has given the green light to a bill that would substantially increase the salaries of judicial officers across the country.

The proposed legislation, which was forwarded by President Bola Tinubu, aims to improve the remuneration of judges and other judicial personnel at both federal and state levels. 

The Senate’s approval of the bill is a major boost for the judiciary, recognizing the critical role that judicial officers play in upholding justice and the rule of law.

The proposed pay increase is expected to enhance the attractiveness of careers in the judiciary, enabling the sector to retain and attract top talent. 

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) has thrown his weight behind the president’s proposal, urging the Senate to pass the bill.

The move is seen as a significant step towards recognizing the valuable contributions of judicial officers to the country’s justice system. 

The approval of the bill is a positive development that is expected to have a positive impact on the judiciary and the country as a whole.

By Nura Jibo

Senator Abdul Ningi remains a hero of Nigeria’s democracy. His revelations, as the senator from Edo North implied, will haunt their reputation, causing them to receive years of contempt and opprobrium from the Nigerian people.

No one takes any of the current Nigerian senators seriously.

The entire country and world leaders view their tongue-lashing as an overt confession to the national budget’s animadversion. What irony!

Indeed, the mentality of Nigerian politicians, both young and old, is the same. To enter politics, contest, “win” either fairly or by crooked means, and serve the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th terms.

This could be easily spotted in the Senate chamber. It is full of geriatrics who served eight years as governors in their respective states and have now become senators to take cover in the Senate and hide their political obloquy.

In the past two days, Nigerians have been left in no doubt that the Nigerian senators, including their Senate President, are already in a state of disgrace resulting from public opprobrium. And this is quite understandable.

There is no way a Nigerian citizen could trust any senator with his hard-earned electoral vote. Unless the senator steals it by fabricating figures the way they surreptitiously did in the 2023 national budget, where some of them were allocated ₦500 million as publicly confessed by one of their own!

For one of their own to call all of them culpable, or better yet, culprits, is certainly an obloquy and political hara-kiri—an indelible series of political somersaults.

What Senator Ningi presented was a testament to the fact that the entire Senate is now embroiled in a disturbing saga of corruption and self-incrimination, demonstrating a reckless disregard and disrespect for the public good.

Indeed, this Senate’s attitude is certainly an intentional breach of decorum that exposes them to the vagueness, vagaries, verbosity, and waffle of their statutory unconscionability!

May Allah SWT save Nigeria and its people from this kind of Senate’s malicious misrepresentation(s) of the people under the tutelage of budget padding.

By Idris Ishaq Danwanka

Esteemed compatriots and guardians of our collective Northern ethos, in the wake of recent fiscal disclosures, a disconcerting schism has been unveiled that warrants our immediate attention and stringent critique. Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, erstwhile Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, has valiantly illuminated a disquieting anomaly within the fiscal year 2024 budget proceedings.

With the budget initially proposed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu amounting to 24 trillion Naira, the subsequent and inexplicable inflation to 27 trillion Naira post-senate approval instigates profound perturbation and necessitates scrupulous examination.

The crux of the matter lies not solely within the numerical discrepancies but more so in the disheartening dearth of collective fortitude amongst our Northern sentinels. Senator Ningi’s resignation from the venerable chairmanship of our forum, following his laudable challenge to the opaque augmentation of the said budget, is a testament to a troubling lack of solidarity and a deviation from the path of unwavering patriotism that our region is historically known to uphold.

It is incumbent upon us, as the custodians of Arewa’s legacy, to transcend the paralyzing grip of fear that threatens our tenure within the senate.

The specter of suspension or dismissal should not deter us from our sacrosanct duty to the masses. We must rally behind the banner of transparency, accountability, and unwavering integrity that Senator Ningi has hoisted, even in the face of potential political ostracism.

The significance of unity cannot be overstated in our quest for regional and national development. A fragmented front is a disservice to the populace we have sworn to serve. It is only through a cohesive and unyielding stance that we can effectively steward the resources of our polity and engender a milieu where probity is not just expected but demanded.

Let us not shy away from our responsibility to interrogate and impugn any act that undermines the fiscal sanctity of our nation. To falter in this regard is to capitulate to the whims of those who may not prioritize the collective good over individual aggrandizement. The import of our togetherness is the bulwark against the forces of division and the cornerstone of our advocacy for the masses.

In conclusion, it is our imperative to eschew the parochial fears that stifle our voice and to stand shoulder to shoulder with those who dare to speak truth to power. The Arewa spirit is one of resilience, unity, and an unyielding commitment to the greater good. May we find the moral fortitude to embody these virtues and to restore the faith of our people in our esteemed institution.

Let us not delay in reclaiming our esteemed position as paragons of rectitude and as the vanguards of the people’s will. The time for action is now; the call for unity and patriotism, ever resonant.

Yours in service to our region and our nation;

Sen. Idris Ishaq Danwanka,
B.A. English Language and Literature, Federal University Dutse.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi State has announced his resignation as chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, following his suspension from the Senate.  

Ningi had been accused of making misleading claims about the size of the 2024 budget, which he alleged was padded with N3.7 trillion in additional funds.  

He has denied any wrongdoing, but the Senate has suspended him pending an investigation into the matter. 

In response to the allegations made by Senator Ningi, the Senate has suspended him for three months while it investigates the matter.  

The Senate has stated that there is no evidence to support Ningi’s claim that the 2024 budget was padded.  

The Senate also expressed its concern over the potential damage to the reputation of the body and the Nigerian people caused by Ningi’s remarks.  

Meanwhile, Ningi tendered his resignation letter as the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum following his suspension. 

“I will like to resign my position as the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum. This is of course necessitated by unfolding events in the National Assembly, the North and the Nation at large. 

“I will like to specially thank members of the forum for the opportunity given to me for the last eight months to spearhead this very important forum. 

“I believe this forum is very important to the progress and development of Northern Nigeria,” the letter reads.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The Nigerian Senate has endorsed a resolution urging the federal government to continue with the electricity subsidy in light of the prevailing challenges confronting the nation.

This decision comes in response to the pressing concerns raised regarding the ongoing hardships experienced by citizens across the country. 

During a comprehensive deliberation at the plenary session, Senator Aminu Iya Abbas of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), representing the Adamawa Central Zone, tabled a motion advocating for the continuation of the electricity subsidy.

The proposal garnered widespread support from fellow lawmakers, leading to its unanimous approval. 

Addressing the Senate, Senator Abbas reiterated the significance of prioritising the welfare of the populace amidst economic uncertainties and social challenges. 

The decision reflects a concerted effort by the Senate to address the concerns voiced by constituents and stakeholders regarding the affordability and accessibility of electricity, particularly during these turbulent times. 

By advocating for the continuation of the subsidy, lawmakers aim to alleviate the financial burden on households and mitigate the adverse impact of rising utility costs. 

In approving the resolution, the Senate reaffirmed its commitment to championing policies and initiatives aimed at safeguarding the interests and well-being of the Nigerian populace.

The collective endorsement of Senator Abbas’s motion underscores the bipartisan consensus on the imperative of sustaining vital support mechanisms to alleviate socioeconomic strains and promote inclusive development.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Three freshly-elected senators have officially assumed their duties in the Nigerian Senate.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio administered the oath of office to the incoming senators during a formal ceremony held in the revered Red Chamber. 

Representing distinct constituencies and political affiliations, the trio of senators emerged victorious in the recent by-elections held on Saturday, signalling a renewed sense of democratic engagement and participation.

Prince Pam Mwadkon, hailing from the Action Democratic Party (ADP), now stands as the voice for Plateau North, while Professor Anthony Ani, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), assumes responsibility for Ebonyi South.

Additionally, Mustapha Musa, also of the APC, steps into the role of representing Yobe East. 

The induction process, steeped in tradition and significance, saw the senators-elect take their solemn oath of office, affirming their commitment to upholding the Constitution and serving their constituents with integrity and diligence.

With the formalities concluded, the new senators were escorted to their designated seats, ready to embark on their legislative journey and contribute to the democratic discourse shaping the nation’s future.