Constitution Amendment: Senate Suspends Move to Override Jonathan

The senate on Tuesday rose from about two-hour executive session on Wednesday and announced the suspension of its planned process to override President Goodluck Jonathan’s veto on the Fourth Alteration Act 2015 which seeks to further amend the 1999 Constitution.

Senate President, David Mark, who addressed the chamber after the closed-door session, said the senators as lawmakers, would always abide by the law of the land, since the Supreme Court had asked the federal parliament to stay further action on the document.

Mark said,”We are law makers, we will not be law breakers. In fact we are responsible senior citizens who should not be seen to be breaking laws in one way or the other.

“However the executive should not take the National Assembly for granted any longer.”

The senators had on Tuesday vowed to begin the process of overriding the President’s veto today, by taking the first reading of the bill to adopt the gazette of the controversial amendment Bill.

It will be recalled that Jonathan had in a letter dated April 13, addressed to Senate President David Mark and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, announced his decision to reject the Constitution (Alteration) Bill 2015.

He had cited perceived deliberate attempts by federal lawmakers to whittle down presidential powers and their failure to strictly adhere to constitutional provisions on the amendments to Section 9 of the constitution by observing four-fifths majority support in each chamber before it could amend it.

The president had further argued that the National Assembly only observed two-thirds majority support for the amendment instead of four-fifths stipulation in the constitution before amending the section.

The amendment to the section strips the president of the power to sign an amendment bill before becoming effective.

Following the president’s letter, the Senate on April 15 demanded the return of the bill to the National Assembly by the president.

The demand was the fallout of an allegation that the president had earlier signed the bill before he was prevailed upon by the AGF to withdraw his assent.

Suspecting that the National Assembly might move to override the president’s veto as a result of the demand, the federal government proceeded to the Supreme Court to stop the National Assembly from further carrying out any legislation on the amendment bill with the intention to render it handicapped.

The Supreme Court eventually ruled on the suit on May 7, asking the National Assembly to maintain the status quo ante on the amendment until the final determination of the suit.

It also described the suit as incompetent, saying it should have been between the president and the National Assembly and not between the AGF and the National Assembly as the case had been.

The apex court also queried the federal government’s counsel for not joining the state houses of assembly in the suit since they were also part of the amendment process.

APC Govt Will Ask Looters to Return Money – El-Rufai

Nasir el-Rufai

Kaduna State Governor-elect and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai, said on Tuesday that the incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari would ask corrupt politicians   to return every kobo stolen by them.

He also said that the Buhari administration would inherit a huge debt from the Goodluck Jonathan government.

The governor-elect told executive members of the National Union of Textile Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, who visited   him in Kaduna, that such politicians must be ready to return all   ill-gotten funds after May 29.

He however said those (politicians) who were not corrupt had no cause to fear.

According to him, the measure was imperative because the All Progressives Congress-led government would be in a dire financial strait on assumption of office.

El-Rufai said, “We will politely ask those who stole government money to return the funds. This is because the people, who are in government now, are there to work for themselves. But the APC government is made up of people who are ready to work for the masses and the betterment of the country.

“We will work with the textile unions to ensure that the lives of the average Nigerians get better.”

The ex-minister also decried the poor state of the textile industry in Kaduna State and gave assurance that his administration would revamp it.

He lamented the current employment figure of 1,600 people in the textile sector, describing it as unacceptable.

El-Rufai added that the textile industry in Kaduna alone used to employ about 33,000 workers.

According to him , the APC government will revive the industry so that it can   generate employment and impact on the lives of the people.

He said, “We have met at a forum of northern governors-elect and we decided to ensure the revival of the textile industry. It is a shame that the largest economy in Africa imports textile materials from Senegal and other countries.”

The President of the union, Oladele Hunsu, recalled el-Rufai’s feat as minister of the FCT and urged him (el-Rufai) to take steps towards reviving the textile industry.

Buhari to Get Handover Note, Tour Villa May 28

The President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, will get his handover notes from President Goodluck Jonathan on May 28, 2015.

He will also be conducted round the Presidential Villa, Abuja, alongside the Vice President-elect, Yemi Osibajo, by the outgoing President on the same day.

These were parts of the transition programmes that were approved on Tuesday at a meeting of the Council of State, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.

Aliyu said the Council approved a template that will henceforth be used during subsequent transition programmes in the country.

He said the process leading to the takeover of government by Buhari would commence with a Jumat service that would be held on Friday, May 22, adding that a church service would be held on Sunday, May 24.

He did not give details of where the services would hold. However, national Islamic events are held inside the National Mosque, Abuja, while national Christian events hold inside the National Christian Centre.

The governor said a Presidential dinner would be held on May 28, during which the handover notes prepared by Ministries, Departments and Agencies would be presented to Buhari.

According to him, Jonathan would also conduct Buhari and Osibajo round offices and strategic places in the Presidential Villa on the same day.

He said, “The sitting and the incoming government both selected their transition teams with their terms of reference.

“But both teams have almost become one because of the interface, so that every detail that is required in governance, nothing will be new to the incoming government.

“Every Ministry, Department and Agency that has worked for government, including all the funds that have been collected, how they have been utilised and the assets and the liabilities of government will all be put together in documents and be handed over to the incoming government.

“Officially, the document will be handed over on May 28.”

He added that apart from the President’s inauguration, a presidential luncheon and gala night would hold on May 29.

For the inauguration, Aliyu said leaders of all African countries, as well as Presidents and Prime Ministers of G8, had been invited for the inauguration.

He said invitations had also been extended to heads of international organisations, like the United Nations, Commonwealth, ECOWAS and African Union.

He said the council warned against “African time syndrome”, whereas guests would arrive earlier than those who invited them.

He added that during the meeting, a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, moved a motion that Jonathan be thanked for his contribution to national development.

He said while Gowon lauded Jonathan for conceding victory in the last election, he also commended Buhari for being magnanimous in victory.

He said the actions of the two leaders had succeeded in stopping the tension witnessed in the country ahead of the elections.

Suswam, on his part, said the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), delivered a comprehensive presentation on security situation in the country, especially the successes being recorded against Boko Haram, to the council.

He said the NSA assured council members that with the feat being achieved by the nation’s troops, the incoming government would not be contending with insurgency.

He quoted Dasuki as saying that before May 29, Sambisa Forest would be properly combed and the insurgents’ camps annihilated.

He added that the NSA told the council that it took a while to win the war because since civil war, the country had not witnessed such a security challenge.

PDP Leaders Meet Today Over Crisis

Adamu Mu’azu

The Presidency has invited some key members of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, National Working Committee and Elders Caucus to a meeting aimed at resolving the raging crisis in the party.

A B0T member and a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Olabode George, who made this known to The PUNCH on Tuesday, said the meeting would hold in Abuja on Wednesday.

It was gathered that two leaders were invited from each of the six geo-political zones to attend the meeting.

A top member of the party from the South-West, however, told one of our correspondents that the meeting was summoned by the BoT Chairman, Tony Anenih.

George   said, “I have no idea how we were picked for the meeting. If a person has a serious ailment, he will require a serious surgery and that is what we want to do. The party must hold a closed-door meeting. We cannot deceive ourselves and we must be factual to ourselves. It is at that meeting that we will reason together.

“The meeting is critical because time is going. If we leave issues until after May 29, nobody will show up for any meeting. It is not a matter of a witch-hunt . The important thing is to reposition the party. If there are strong arguments to sustain and retain anybody, we will accept.

“But they cannot say we should not meet. This will be the first meeting since the elections. Mu’azu is the one that should have convened the meeting but he is not around. We are just hearing all sorts of things.”

But a top PDP chief alleged that invitations were sent only to the BoT board members   backing the calls for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party,   Adamu Mu’azu.

He said, “I learnt that Chief Anenih secretly called an emergency meeting of some selected BoT members. I don’t know why it was   George and Adeojo that were chosen from the South-West. I hope they are not planning to destroy our party.

“If they want to remove Mu’azu, is this the way to go about it? I know that those that were invited are desperate to have our national chairman out of the way. But I can assure you that their decisions will not be binding on us as members of the BoT.”

The PUNCH learnt that the meeting would review the party’s defeat at the general elections and deliberate on how to reposition it ahead of future elections.

Meanwhile, Mu’azu has appealed to aggrieved members of the party to sheathe their swords and work towards the party’s revival.

He urged party stakeholders   to put behind them the disappointment of defeat, rest all misunderstandings and put the survival and stability of the party ahead of all other considerations.

Mu’azu, in a statement   on Tuesday,   also barred his aides   from speaking to journalists on any party issue.

He said although the party’s   loss was painful, members should key into the intervention by President Goodluck Jonathan and not allow the situation to further divide the party.

The statement read, “The national leadership of the PDP has noted the various reactions that trailed the unfortunate loss of our great party in the last general elections.

“In the last few weeks, the media has been fishing on these reactions with a section even blowing it out of proportion to a level that has become a threat to our oneness as a family.

“As the national chairman and a key stakeholder in this party in the last 16 years, I quite understand and appreciate the concern, pain and frustrations of our members regarding our defeat.

“I am also deeply worried about the division the development has generated within the PDP family, especially regarding whether or not the national leadership should be dissolved as a direct consequence of our collective challenge.

“In the course of events, there have been reactions and counter-reactions among party members; mistakes have been made, some of them avoidable, but this is the time to put all of them behind us and move ahead as our party and its interest remain paramount and overriding.”

Mu’azu accused the media of contributing “immensely to the misunderstanding we are facing in our fold.”

Mu’azu also extended an olive branch to his most ardent critic and   Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, whom he praised for strengthening the PDP with his victory in the once All Progressives Congress-led state.

He said, “Having been a state governor on the platform of this party for eight years and having the grace of being a committed member for the past 16 years, I very much appreciate the reactions of some of our members like Governor   Fayose, whose victory in Ekiti in June last year helped to strengthen our party, particularly in the South-West region.

“Nevertheless, in the larger interest of our party, we all must resolve to bury the hatchet, pick our pieces and move on to rebuild our party and return to our winning ways.”

He enjoined the party faithful to cooperate with the leadership which had set the machinery in motion by the constitution and inauguration of the Post-Election Assessment Committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

Mu’azu also used the opportunity to dispel insinuations that he fled the country. He explained that he left the country to seek medical attention   on the advice of his doctors.

He said, “My absence from the country lately has led to some apprehensions within the party resulting in various public interpretations, but the fact is, following the rigorous campaigns and its attendant toll on my health, I had to yield to the advice of my doctor to take a two weeks bed rest for proper checks and recuperation.

“I am happy to inform all our members that I have been responding to care and will soon return to the country.”

Jonathan Sacked Abba Over Indiscipline –Okiro

Mike Okiro

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr. Mike Okiro, on Tuesday quoted President Goodluck Jonathan as informing the Police Council that he sacked Mr. Suleiman Abba, as the Inspector-General of Police because of the gross indiscipline he noticed among the rank and file under his watch.

Okiro spoke with State House correspondents after a meeting of the council during which Mr. Solomon Arase, who was earlier appointed as Abba’s successor in acting capacity, was confirmed.

He said the meeting deliberated on issues bordering on security and how to ensure that Nigerians live in peace.

He explained that the new IGP was brought on board to ensure that lives and property of Nigerians are well protected.

Okiro said one of the state governors who attended the meeting told Jonathan that Nigerians would want to know why Abba was sacked.

He said, “I may not attempt to answer that question (on why Abba was sacked) because I was not part of the Presidency that removed him; so I cannot give adequate answer.

“Though at the (Police Council) meeting, the President tried to explain to members based on the question raised by one of the governors that Nigerians may want to know why the former IGP was removed.