We are the Mothers of the Nation; we gave birth to the incoming senators and members of the House of Representatives in the 10th National Assembly (NASS). We are women who vote. We are the women who voted for the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Vice President-Elect, Sen. Kashim Shettima. We are the women who voted for members of the incoming 10th National Assembly. We are the Women For Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari. Here, we lend our individual and collective voices to the matter of electing the leadership of the 10th NASS.

It is common knowledge that the primary duty of NASS is to make qualitative laws for a greater Nigeria – devoid of ethnic, tribal, religious and related sentiments. Hence, each constituency and senatorial district strives to elect the best hands to represent them at NASS, which in turn does it utmost to elect the very best from members as NASS leaders.

As a democrat, Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar values the rule of law and has therefore publicly pledged to respect the outcome of a free, fair 10th NASS leadership election.

A huge uproar greeted – deservedly so –  the recent decision of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) decision not only to zone the uppermost positions of the 10th NASS to some regions but to hand-pick or micro-zone these top jobs to specific individuals. Nigerians were told that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC and the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu took the zoning decisions ostensibly after consulting the power blocs and relevant stakeholders both within the party and the body-politic, thus heating up the polity, instead of healing and soothing the nation following the just concluded 2023 General Elections, and setting lofty, progressive agenda for the10th NASS.

The natural question to ask is: If indeed the widest consultation possible was carried before the APC NWC announced the zoning formula with specified names for the positions so far allotted, why did all hell broke out after the announcement?

The reasonable inference we could draw from the current, deep and wide disaffection over the issue is that the President-Elect and the APC NWC did not consult as widely as required under the situation at hand, and allow superior logic to carry the day. Perhaps that list released by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Felix Morka, is a first shot indicating the zygotic fusion or formation of a Tinubu cabal which aspires to run ring around the President-Elect and indeed all Nigerians in the Tinubu Presidency for the next four years. We sincerely pray and hope that last sentence falls wide off the mark, though. Time will tell…

Now, we are women and we are democrats. We understand the inner and outer workings of the party system and the democratic processes. Indeed as progressive party women we deign to party supremacy as a veritable principle of any political party worthy of the appellation.

However, we humbly beg to differ, respectfully, on the way the APC NWC and the President-Elect have sprang that bothersome 10th NASS leadership list on us and indeed all Nigerians as stakeholders in the Tinubu Presidency and the Nigerian Project.

To be sure, if indeed the APC NWC and the President-Elect consulted widely and secured a party, national consensus on the list in question, the instant hoopla which trailed its release would not have occurred.

That most marginalised candidates for the leadership position of the 10th NASS have snubbed the list and recalibrated their campaigns indicate that they were not consulted before the zoning was done, let alone their consents on it obtained by the APC NWC and the President-Elect as the whole country was told. This singular act has generated the sense that the incoming Tinubu Administration has been hijacked by certain vested interests.

Who is trying to pull a wool over the nation’s eyes in this matter, a Tinubu Cabal at its embryonic stage? Does this emergent cabal consider itself above the constitutional strength of 109 democratically elected distinguished senators and 360 honourable members of the 10th Assembly of the Again, time will tell!

Anyway, it is pertinent to point out that executive interference in the parliament is an anathema in true democracies.  If a fit and proper democracy is what the President-Elect stands for – and indeed we want to believe that a true democrat in the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes in true democracy, the rule of law and separation of powers as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended – he would admit that with that zoning list a false start has occurred towards imposing leaders on the 10th NASS, and he will quickly move to correct it. That, we strongly believe, he will still do.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu should not start his presidency on a crisis note via such an important organ of democratic governance – the Legislature.  Doubling down on that discredited zoning list may seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof is destruction – a holy book cautions.

Permit us to point out to the APC NWC and the President-Elect that Nigerians are excited by the healthy contest which has ensued among candidates seeking to lead the 10th NASS. All citizens of goodwill are looking forward to Proclamation Day and a rancor-free election of the National Assembly leadership on that auspicious, national event.

Our fellow Nigerians have faith in these senators and members-elect as democrats to elect their parliamentary leaders in the best spirit of comradeship possible. This is because all candidates in the contest have repeatedly exhibited maturity in their campaigns and assured at every turn that they would respect the outcome of the leadership tussle in the spirit of sportsmanship since it is within themselves as lawmakers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore expected to be democratically free and fair, especially if the Executive and other non-parliamentary forces do not insert themselves into such a simple, straightforward process of electing NASS leaders.

It is important to note that what most candidates running to lead the 10th NASS, including Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar – the majority of the incoming legislators, across party lines and indeed Nigerians nationwide – are asking for is a level-playing field in the contest. No more, no less! And that is not exactly a difficult demand by our lawmakers in their own parliament, is it? The future of our children and Nigerians at large is at stake here.

Perhaps the two decades and three years of civil rule has lulled those behind the ongoing attempt to undermine the independence of the National Assembly into a deep slumber, hence they can no longer glance at the rearview mirror of our democratic journey since 1999 to see where we are coming from.

Do these aspirants-cabalist need their individual and collective memories juggled to startle them to remember the dark age of Military Rule in this country and the terrible experience Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other pro-democracy icons – individuals and groups – went through to return Nigeria to civil rule?

Do these wannabes-fixer of parliamentary leaders for the 10th NASS realise that the fundamental institution which distinguishes democratic governance from Military Rule and autocratic dictatorship is the National Assembly? Where is the democracy if the 10th NASS cannot freely choose its own leaders?

We want to believe that the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, can clearly recall where the rain started beating us as a nation, where we collectively began to dry ourselves on this democratic journey and to what extent we have succeeded to slice off slivers of undemocratic tendencies from the body-politic.

The President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, needs to put his democratic credentials before the Nigerian People, once again, by distancing himself from the ongoing attempts to foist leaders on the incoming 10th NASS – because Asiwaju belongs to the People.

To institute the leadership structure of the 10th NASS, the Women For Yari Movement is for an open, transparent contest in which only members of the parliaments are involved and without any third-party meddling. Only a National Assembly leadership chosen in this legal, constitutional way can ensure a Nigeria that works for all, with no hijack of it from any quarters.

Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar subscribes to such a free and fair process. It is an existential principle he was trained to learn, accept, deploy and inculcate in his pupils as a lowly, humble Grade II school teacher with the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State (1985-1993).

Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar did not depart from that path of openness and fairness as ANPP state party secretary (1999-2003), state party chairman (2003-2007), party National Financial Secretary (2007), Member Representing Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency (2007-2011), two-term Executive Governor of Zamfara State (2011-2015; 2015-2019) and as Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (2015-2019).

Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar will NOT take to learning a new ‘dance’ in imposition, micro-zoning and allied undemocratic practices at this stage of his career as an elected public official.

As a democrat, Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar values the rule of law and has therefore publicly pledged to respect the outcome of a free, fair 10th NASS leadership election.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would have in Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar as Senate President a nationalist and patriot who will rally his fellow senators and the lower chamber of the National Assembly to actualise the “Renewed Hope” vision of the incoming President.

In any case, Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar is the best man for the job. As President of the Senate in the 10th NASS, Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar will render yeoman’s service to the Senate, the National Assembly, the Peoples of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and our dear nation herself, thus putting Nigeria first.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would have in Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar as Senate President a nationalist and patriot who will rally his fellow senators and the lower chamber of the National Assembly to actualise the “Renewed Hope” vision of the incoming President.

Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar is a highly experienced and dependable hand in the nation-building project. As Senate President, all patriotic elements, men and women of goodwill can count on him steer the ship of state aright for the common good.

As Senate President, Yari is for you, Yari is for me, Yari is for all!

We are patriots! We are the Women For Yari Movement!

Long live Distinguished Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar!

Long Live the National Assembly!

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

*Esther Agada, Nkechi Anadu, Folashade Ogunremi and Zainab Shuaib

Women For Yari Movement

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APC chairman in Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, made the call while speaking with journalists in Kano.

Abbas said that APC performed well in Kano State in the presidential poll.

He implored the party leadership to reward hard working Jibrin with the Senate president, pointing out that he was the most qualified person to lead the Senate in the 10th  National Assembly.

Kano State, according to Abbas, has done marvelously well in making APC to win both at the centre and in the state.

He explained that Jibrin was pivotal to many of the top political positions Kano State secured at the centre.

Abbas hinted that as a result of Jibrin’s influence no other party had made in-road in Kano North where Jibril hailed from.

“Significantly, Kano State gave APC tremendous victory in 2015, 2019 and now 2023 elections, with the state producing the highest votes across the federation.

“In spite of our victories, we have never requested for any serious position at the centre.

“This is time to reward a hard working member who had contributed immensely to the growth of our party by supporting the Sen. Barau Jibrin to lead the 10th Senate.”

The chairman appealed to the national leadership of APC, the president-elect and senators-elect to overwhelmingly support Jibrin to emerge the next Senate president.

Source: NAN

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Aside from the lobbying by pressing the right connections in the UK, the delegation, even before they left Nigeria, had secured the service of a senior lawyer in the UK to work at getting Ekweremadu and his wife out to the logjam they found themselves.  The couple was arrested and arraigned before a United Kingdom (UK) court over allegations of organ harvesting of one David Ukpo Nwamini, said to be a minor.

If Nigeria has been treated right by our leaders, there wouldn’t have been the need for the Ekweremadus to source for organ donor and transport such to the UK in their bid to save their daughter’s life.

According to the UK laws, the politician and his spouse could be prosecuted for slavery, servitude or compulsory labour; as well as the exploitation of a child under their care as entrenched under the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015. The politician and his wife have been arraigned at Uxbridge Magistrate’s Court but denied bail. The UK law is very clear and unambiguous when it comes to organ trafficking, particularly when it involves a minor or if it is perceived to be done for monetary consideration. The Act 2015 frowns at human trafficking under which organ harvesting falls, and is punishable with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment upon conviction.

 The Act partly reads, “Under S. 2, an individual commits an offence if they arrange or facilitate the travel of another with a view to that person being exploited. It is irrelevant whether that person consents to the travel, or whether they are a child or an adult.

“Under S. 3 of MSA 2015, exploitation includes: slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour; sexual exploitation (which involves the commission of an offence under s 1(1)(a) of the Protection of Children’s Act 1978 (indecent photographs of children), or Pt 1 of SOA 2003 (e.g rape or sexual assault); removal of organs where a person is encouraged, required or expected to do anything which involves the commission of an offence under ss 32 or 33 of the Human Tissue Act 2004 (prohibition of commercial dealings in organs and restrictions on use of live donors); securing services etc by force, threats or deception; securing services etc from children and vulnerable persons (eg, physically or mentally ill or disabled).” It further states that anyone found guilty of “human trafficking is liable on summary conviction to 12 months imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine,” adding that “on conviction on indictment, the maximum sentence is life imprisonment.”

Ekweremadu’s travails, unknowingly, began even before he left Nigeria. He had written a letter to the British High Commission in Nigeria in support of Mr David’s visa application. In the letter, he said, “I am writing in support of the visa application made by Mr Ukpo Nwamini David, who is currently having medical investigations for a kidney donation to Ms. Sonia Ekweremadu. David and Sonia will be at the Royal Free Hospital, London, and I will be providing the necessary funding. I have endorsed a statement of my bank account. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require additional information.”

When David arrived in London in February 2022 for medical investigations, it was discovered that his kidney did not match that of Sonia. He was to return to Nigeria in May 2022. On his departure date, he allegedly told the police at the airport that he was 15 years old, a Lagos-based homeless person trafficked to the United Kingdom by Ekweremadu and his wife. David was promptly put in protective custody. His claim that he was a minor was enough.

The Court will have to determine whether David is 15 or 21 as claimed in his international passport. But one thing that is very clear is the fact that David, within his three-month stay in London, having tasted the good life, no longer wants to return to Nigeria. He must have felt that the best route for him is to blow the whistle on the Ekweremadus. Doing exactly that, he was promptly taken into protective custody and a red alert was sent to all UK entry and exit points for the arrest of the Ekweremadus. It was while they were on their way to Turkey to possibly search for another organ donor for their daughter that they were nabbed and are being charged under the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Organ trade, aka Red Market, is quite common today in many countries of the world because human beings are not perfect. They are afflicted by all kinds of ailments and if affected parts can be replaced, they go for it. There are three types of transplantation namely: illegal, forced or compensated transplantation. Kidney transplant is the most common all over the world. Every human being has two kidneys and can conveniently survive with one if medical procedures are done properly without any complications. Some patients receive kidneys from dead people who are called deceased donors. Others receive them from living donors such as friends or family members. The most suitable donor is usually a sister, brother, mother, father, daughter or son.

Donations from family members are hugely compatible but the best donor is said to be an identical twin. In all of these two issues are paramount (a) there must be compatibility between donor and receiver (b) there must not be a transmissible disease from the donor.

However, even though there is a growing number of people having problems with their kidneys, the supply is relatively small. It is estimated that in Western Europe alone, 40, 000 people are awaiting a kidney transplant. As at January 2020, more than 100, 000 candidates were waiting for organ transplants in the United States alone. Most of those who donate their organs are young and poor people who think they can improve their lives with the compensation paid to them. Therefore, there is a growth in this illegal trade considered a money-spinner. It is estimated that it generates profits of between $600 million and $1.2 billion per year. In Africa, the trade is flourishing in three countries namely, Angola, Libya and South Africa.

However, in 1987, the World Health Organisation (WHO), declared organ trade illegal, saying that such a trade violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; that it is “likely to take unfair advantage of the poorest and most vulnerable groups; that it undermines altruistic donation and leads to profiteering and human trafficking.” In 1991 at the 44th World Health Assembly, WHO, approved nine guiding principles for a human organ transplant. The principles clearly stated that organs cannot be the subject of financial transactions. Despite this pronouncement by WHO, illicit organ trade is on the increase in many countries especially the selling and buying of kidneys.

This is so because kidney transplant is the most commonly conducted transplant surgery worldwide today. The United States is the leading kidney transplant country with more than 40 per cent share of the market in 2015, Brazil with 10 per cent, while UK, France and Mexico take third, fourth and fifth positions respectively.

It is in this logjam that the Ekweremadus have found themselves. Their intention was to search for a young man to donate one of his kidneys to their daughter, Sonia, who is presently having issues with her kidneys.

But Ekeremadu will not go down without a fight. And the race is on to get them off the hook. His kinsmen in Enugu State, his colleagues in the Upper chamber, and the Federal Government are currently involved in getting a soft landing for him and his wife. I do not have anything against such a move. My grouse is that would the Nigerian Senate accord such a treatment to a lesser-known Nigerian in the claw of the British law? I doubt if such would have been done.

It is time for those in the corridor of power to start thinking and acting right in their own interest and in the interest of all by curbing their excessive corruption and making sure that they put necessary infrastructures in place back at home.

Aside from that, many Nigerians hold the like of Ekweremadu responsible for the sorry state of most of our infrastructures, particularly in the health sector. For the record, Ekweremadu has been in government since the return of the current democratic dispensation in 1999. He has been part of the greedy elites that are in power for their own benefits and those close to them. They get to power and forget the masses that voted for them. They make sure that they steal enough money that would last their entire generation for life forgetting that there is a superior being watching over the affairs of everybody.

With the wealth God has given this country, there is no reason why we cannot have six world-class hospitals in Nigeria today. Many of the Doctors who take care of Sonia and other rich Nigerians outside the shores of the country are Nigerians who have been forced to abandon ship when the going got tough at home. Many of the top-rated surgeons in the USA and the United Kingdom are Nigerians, trained here in Nigeria before seeking greener pastures outside the country.

If Nigeria has been treated right by our leaders, there wouldn’t have been the need for the Ekweremadus to source for organ donor and transport such to the UK in their bid to save their daughter’s life. It is time for those in the corridor of power to start thinking and acting right in their own interest and in the interest of all by curbing their excessive corruption and making sure that they put necessary infrastructures in place back at home. If Nigeria develops, it will be to the glory of us all and the pride of black men and women all over the World. I wish Ekweremadu well in his present travails.

See you next week.

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I might have titled this piece: “Re: Once again, most legislators will not return to National Assembly,” because it was prompted by an article under that title written by the highly respected academic, rights activist and columnist, Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, and published by some media outfits on Friday, 17th June, 2022. However, I decided otherwise because Prof. Ibrahim’s commentary, as usual, made many points that I consider valid and thus have no issue with.

But an aspect of the article is capable of leaving the reader with a wrong impression, and that is what I have set out here to correct. Which means this piece is actually not a rejoinder, in the full sense of that word, to the article by the good Professor. Just an amendment to it, as they would have described this effort of mine in Parliament.

The focus of Prof. Ibrahim’s article was the stranglehold of state governors on their political parties in their states and how this continues to reflect in the high turnover of lawmakers, especially in the National Assembly.

I cannot understand why Prof. Ibrahim tried to serve his readers the impression that a man with such resume and history in Parliament was unknown before his emergence as the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly.

The writer mentioned the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as one of a few lawmakers who have had long tenures in the National Assembly, despite the harsh political atmosphere he observed. His misstep was in how he explained Lawan’s survival.

Prof. Ibrahim wrote: “The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, is the most spectacular exception that breaks the rule. He has been in the National Assembly since 1999, first in the House of Representatives and subsequently in the Senate. For some reason, successive governors of Yobe State have always given him the green light to stay on. I wonder why? Could it be linked to his style and record of being unobtrusive and inconspicuous as a legislator who did nothing and was therefore perceived as non-threatening? What is clear is that until he became the Senate president, hardly anyone noticed him. He was discovered when he became Senate president three years ago and then broke the Richter scale of political ‘arrivism’ when the APC chairman announced him to be the ‘presidential’ choice of President Buhari.”

I would have ignored it if those assertions were made by an undistinguished writer. But they are hard to overlook in the well-read column of a Professor of Political Science who is universally respected for the fairness and profundity of his opinions.

It is atypical of the columnist to claim that Lawan was unknown prior to his emergence as the 14th President of the Senate in 2019, because that claim is not true. And it is not fair to say Lawan was “an unobtrusive and inconspicuous legislator” as of 2019.

Those claims left me curious because, more than most people, Prof. Ibrahim is in a position to know better. He knew Lawan was the choice of his party, the APC, for election as Senate President in 2015, based on his reputation as one of the most effective and better known opposition lawmakers in the Fourth Republic by then.

Of course, Prof. Ibrahim would remember that Lawan was the Senate Leader before his emergence as Senate President. So, how can the Senate Leader be “unobtrusive and inconspicuous”? Even if a person was randomly appointed to the position, the role would haul him out of obscurity.

Aside from the presiding officer, the next most visible in parliament is the Majority Leader, who leads in championing the cause of their party’s government. The Majority Leader harnesses support for executive bills and government policies in parliament. Parties hardly assign such a critical role to a greenhorn, talkless of an “unobtrusive and inconspicuous” member of parliament.

And Lawan did not step into that position from darkness. Before his election to the Senate, he had spent two terms of eight years in the House of Representatives, where at different times he was privileged to chair critical committees like Agriculture (2003-2005) and Education (2005-2007), despite the fact that he was in the opposition at those times.

Such committees are usually chaired by members of the majority party in Parliament, so it is a reflection of what his colleagues thought of him to have accorded him those privileges.

At the Senate, to which he was first elected in 2007, Lawan held the very important chair of the Public Accounts Committee for eight years(2007-2015) and the Defence Committee for two years (2015-2017). All those were before he became the Senate Leader. Does that profile fit the description of the “unobtrusive and inconspicuous”?

I cannot understand why Prof. Ibrahim tried to serve his readers the impression that a man with such resume and history in Parliament was unknown before his emergence as the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly. Did he forget Lawan’s political journey out of familiarity?

I would have ignored it if those assertions were made by an undistinguished writer. But they are hard to overlook in the well-read column of a Professor of Political Science who is universally respected for the fairness and profundity of his opinions.

Lawan spent 10 years in the academic and acquired a doctorate in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System before he ventured into politics in 1998. That year, he was elected the pioneer vice chairman of the defunct All People’s Party (APP) in Yobe State and in 1999, was the Secretary of the Electoral Committee of the APP National Convention which held in Abuja.

As I was quick to say at the start, I have no quarrel whatsoever with the focus of Prof. Ibrahim’s said article of June 17, which addressed two phenomena that have become a malaise that needs to be checked for the growth of democracy in Nigeria.

One is the system that allows state governors to unilaterally determine who become party officials and candidates for elections. The other is the high turnover of lawmakers in our legislative assemblies, especially in the National Assembly, as captured by the current situation whereby about half of senators did not get their parties’ tickets for the elections.

On those points and for his usual well-grounded interventions, I salute the good Professor.

*Awoniyi is Special Adviser on Media to Senate President

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Lawan was formally presented with the Expression of Interest and nomination forms purchased for him by a group of Nigerians led by the Chairman, National Stability Project, Ambassador Sam Nkire.

Presenting the forms, Ambassador Nkire said Lawan was seen as a stabilising personality needed to be the next president of Nigeria.

He said: “This is a representation of Nigerians being led by me, Chief Sam Nkire. We have politicians here, we have business men here, we have a representation of traditional rulers, professionals who have watched Nigeria and they think we need a stabilizer, a stabilizing personality and they looked round and said you must be the one.

“That is why the rich ones among us contributed more than the poor ones. But the widows mite of the poor ones is also here. So we have decided to purchase the form.

“We didn’t want to come first. We made sure we got the form for you to heed the calls of Nigerians who have seen your service to the motherland, who have seen how you have piloted the affairs, and they know the economic situation we have in terms of security, that you are one of the best that Nigeria has.

“Please we are here to handover the nomination forms for the position of president of Nigeria on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.”

In his acceptance speech, Lawan said that he had consulted widely and promised to play the game by the rules.

“Today is a special day and this moment is a very memorable and historic moment. Over the last seven years, we have been participants in the administration of our country at the national level.

“The APC led administration, our president, President Muhammadu Buhari will be completing his tenure on the 29th of May, 2023. I want to pay special tribute to what Mr President and the APC administration have done so far for developing our country.

“I have listened to various calls from all parts of our dear country, our dear nation Nigeria, for me to show interest to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I took my time to pray to almighty God to guide me. I took my time to consult very widely, consult Nigerians from all parts of the country to ensure that I get the understanding of the citizens of this country on whose behalf we will, by the Grace of God, win the election and run the administration.

“Nigeria needs to be taken  to the next level. We know what we have been able to achieve as an administration and as a political party and we know where we are supposed to take this level to eventually.

“I want to commit myself to this call and to this movement of Nigerians from all walks of life, rich, poor, north, south, east, west, male, female, old and young.

“This is not my journey. This is our journey. This is our journey because every hand must be on deck for us to achieve exactly what we need to achieve.

“I am joining lately. The field is already full of other aspirants. I want, at this point, to assure Nigerians that the APC is a very beautiful bride and that is why we have many aspirants.

“I will play the game by the rules. I am not going to circumvent any rule. I’m going to respect my party and listen to the leaders of this party because that is our platform in the first place.

“But I will spare no moment going from door to door to ensure that I get the votes when the national convention to elect the presidential candidate of the party will hold.

“I place my trust fully, totally and completely on the Almighty God, that God will bless this movement and this journey and I want to appeal to all Nigerians that we are seriously committed to taking Nigeria to the next level from where it will be on the 29th of May 2023 and it will be at a solid point and ground at that time, only to be improved upon and consolidated,” Lawan said.

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Lawan expressed shock and deep sadness at the tragic news, describing the deceased as a pillar of the family.

“I commiserate with Distinguished Senator Folarin on this most painful experience of the death of a loving wife.

“I urge Senator Folarin, as a devout Muslim, to accept the sad development as the will of Allah. I also pray the Almighty God to comfort the family,” Lawan says.

The Senate President condoles members of the Teslim Folarin family, the government and people of Oyo State over the painful loss.

He prayed Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the dear departed and accept her soul into Aljannah firdausi.

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Lawan made this declaration on Wednesday in an address delivered at the foundation laying ceremony to flag off construction of the permanent office complex of the National Assembly Service Commission, NASC.

According to the Senate President, the provision of needed infrastructure would guarantee and enhance productivity of the legislature in service delivery.

He said, “The leadership and membership of the National Assembly, are totally committed to ensuring that this legislative arm of government is given the kind of support that it deserves for us to have a legislature that will be effective and efficient in delivering its service and mandate.

“Let me add here that the National Assembly Service Commission is that institution of the legislature that ensures that quality staff are recruited, that ensures training and retraining and appointment of top management into the National Assembly management for service delivery to members of the National Assembly.

“Most of us are not here as professionals, we are here to represent Nigerians and, therefore, we need the kind of support that the National Assembly Service Commission staff will deliver to us.

“[And] what will make us to work well effectively and efficiently, would be to have National Assembly staff who are well trained and motivated.

“We will support the commission to have staff that will be well motivated for us to get the benefits of their services.”

The Senate President also urged the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, to expedite action on the processes of ensuring that the dilapidating parts of the National Assembly were rehabilitated.

Earlier, the chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission, Engr. Ahmed Kadi Amshi, described the construction of the NASC permanent office building as a “historic” feat recorded under the ninth Assembly.

According to him, the fifth National Assembly Service Commission found it expedient to re-engage Triad Associates for the stage three execution of the project given their professional competence to ensure continuity.

He added that at the point of conceiving the project in 2010, the construction cost was estimated at N2.5 billion.

Amshi, however, explained that due to inflationary trends and incorporation of modern material and facilities, the project would cost N11.65 billion for it to be completed.

“The capital provision of National Assembly Service Commission in this year’s budget (2021) is N3 billion; even though this is not enough to pay the thirty per cent mobilisation fees as required by law, the contractor was able to mobilise to site and acquired reasonable quantity of materials with what we are able to pay the firm,” the NASC chairman added.

Lawmakers present during the ceremony include the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase; Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi; Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriations, Jibrin Barau; Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, and House Committee Chairman, Engr. Sani Bala Umar.

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Lawan, in a message, felicitates with all Nigerians on the occasion of the 61st Independence Anniversary of the country.

Said Lawan: “This is the first year of our seventh decade as a nation and also the second year of the third decade of the Fourth Republic.

“I find it remarkable that we are living in the longest era of democracy in our history as a nation.

“That may seem modest as an achievement but it is an additional cause for celebration in the light of our political experience.

“Every patriot will always remember with pride that historic moment on October 1, 1960 when the British Union Jack was lowered and our Green-White-Green flag hoisted in its place.

“That moment symbolizes our attainment of freedom from colonial rule. But it also marks the beginning of the onerous task of building a united, peaceful and prosperous nation that we set for ourselves.

“Over six decades on, the journey has been eventful and the challenges enormous. But we can be proud of the progress that we have made, draw lessons from the missteps and rededicate ourselves to our historic mission of nation-building. We should never abandon that mission.

“Our founding fathers encountered difficulties from the diversity of our people and country. But they realized that the feature is not unique to us and so they wisely embraced it as a potential source of strength.

“That is why they resolutely bound us into an indissoluble union. They had a dream of a diverse, united and prosperous Nigeria as a beacon of hope to Africa and the entire Black World.

“We must keep the torch of that dream of our founding fathers burning and hand it over to the next generation of Nigerians.

“The founding fathers got nothing on a silver platter. Their dream of a glorious future for Nigeria inspired them in confronting the challenges of their time.

“That great heritage is what we are celebrating today. We must preserve and pass it to the coming generations.”

“If our founding fathers had succumbed to the challenges that they encountered in their pursuit of independence, we would not today have a great country to celebrate. They faced their challenges and prevailed.

“Our own challenges today are numerous but they are not insurmountable. If we face them like our founding fathers faced those of their time, the coming generations will also accord our memories their gratitude.

“Our political, religious and traditional leaders as well as influencers of opinions across the country need therefore to unite their purpose and energy for the good of our dear nation.

“As issues arise, let us use the right channels to address them in the true spirit of democracy. Nigeria belongs to all its citizens, not to some more than the others.

“It is in this regard that I will again encourage all Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing process of constitutional review at the National Assembly.

“The National Assembly is determined to facilitate a meaningful review of the Constitution by the people, to ensure that the instrument continues to serve its purpose and to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

“A people-oriented Constitution will address the frictions that we are currently witnessing and this is why the National Assembly is taking very seriously this national assignment.

“We already have a consensus on democracy as the best form of government for us as a people. So, we should all get actively involved in its processes.

“The National Assembly will always provide the necessary legislative interventions to strengthen the processes and encourage popular participation.

“For instance, we are about to harmonize the positions of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the Electoral Reform Bill. We are confident that the Bill will enhance the improvement that we have continued to see in our electoral process.

“Let us keep faith with Nigeria and continue as one people to work for our collective security and prosperity. May God continue to bless Nigeria,” Lawan said.

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Nigeria is endowed with abundant oil wealth which also placed it among the largest suppliers of crude oil in Africa, yet it is battling with national development particularly when compared with its contemporaries. Worse still, Nigeria could not even satisfy the petroleum needs of her citizens let alone making profits from the sale of products and revenues from operators.

Again, corporate social responsibility is a statutory programme of business ventures who want to enjoy a harmonious relationship with the communities where they operate. The multinationals, oil and gas companies inclusive, are reputed for this globally. But sadly in Nigeria’s situation, the host communities have not had their fair shares. Just like Nigeria in this case, they have been roundly short-changed. Furthermore, they are instigated against themselves in a divide-and-rule manner which in its wake births insecurity, vandalism and leakages, sabotage and oil theft that thrive in their domains, leading to a massive decline in production as well as government revenue, uncertain investment climate, loss of competitiveness and incessant fuel shortage.

Nigeria is endowed with abundant oil wealth which also placed it among the largest suppliers of crude oil in Africa, yet it is battling with national development particularly when compared with its contemporaries.

These culminated in a threatened national economy and the absence of meaningful development.

However, the obsolete petroleum Act of 1969 supporting inadequate industry governance, weak sector regulation, and inefficiencies in oil operations was identified as the principal reasons thus necessitating the urgency of a legislative review.

Historically, efforts at reforming the petroleum industry began in 2000. President Obasanjo had set up the Oil and Gas Implementation Committee (OGIC), whose recommendations gave rise to the national 2004 oil policy. It was this report that metamorphosed to the petroleum industry bill (PIB) that was first introduced in 2008 by the Umaru Yar’adua administration.

Among others, the bill was aimed at expanding petroleum exploration and production, boosting domestic gas supply, making NNPC viable and productive, ensuring regulatory efficiency, as well as entrenching transparency and accountability in the industry.

In July 2012, then President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration revised and represented the PIB. The era was even defined by the emergence and circulation of adulterated versions which expectedly stalled efforts.

Then moved by the enormity of economic losses Nigeria continued to experience following the market and governance failures plaguing the oil and gas industry, President Buhari in October 2015, split the PIB into four separate bills namely: Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, Fiscal Regime Bill, Upstream and Midstream Administration Bill, Petroleum Host Communities Bill.

The PIGB was proposed “to establish the Nigerian petroleum regulatory commission as a one-stop regulator that will be responsible for licensing, monitoring, supervising petroleum operations, as well as enforcing industry laws, regulations and standards.”

Hence it was prioritized and passed by the 8th national assembly. But due to the hostile relationship between the executive and the legislature, it was not assented to, even though “drafting errors” were cited as reasons.

The president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, mobilized the 9th assembly to pay the topmost premium to the passage of PIB.

Guided by the identified causes of the setbacks the bill suffered since 2008, as well as the collaboration in governance strategy, Lawan hinted that “the National Assembly will this time around adopt a different approach to make the passage of the PIB a reality. We want to see a situation where the Legislature and the Executive work very closely to have a PIB that will attract investment into the oil and gas sector in Nigeria. We want to create an investment climate that will be competitive. We know some other countries have this product; therefore we have to be competitive. We have to create an environment where the businesses make profit. This is a journey that involves everyone. We want both government – and that includes the legislature and executive – on the one hand and other relevant stakeholders in the sector, particularly the IOCs (International Oil Companies) to work together to ensure that this environment we are trying to create is an environment that will work for all of us.”

Elsewhere, he lamented that “in fact, if not because of COVID-19, PIB would have been in the assembly by now because we thought that whether it is one or two bills before we pass the next budget for 2021, we should have passed the PIB. Passage of the PIB or the assent to it or having the law to regulate the oil industry in Nigeria is so important to us as a country and to our economy because that is what will attract and sustain investments, especially foreign investments.”

In the end, the bill was passed and eventually accented to. Understandably, it attracted widespread fanfares and reservations.

Looking back at where and how it all began, especially what it took from the country, it indeed calls for celebration. Then conversely and weighing it against the expectations of the Niger-delta region, it is not a masterpiece after all.

The core area of misgiving is the well-being of the host communities who suffer the direct impacts of oil and gas production activities. The people of the Niger-Delta and for that matter, many Nigerians, resented the idea of allocating 3% (instead of 5%) of the petroleum profit share to the host communities’ development trust fund while approving 30%  for exploration of areas where there are suspected oil existence or availability. Also, there is a concern about the ambiguity in integrating the oil-producing communities and the pipeline bearing communities. But as justifiable as these issues are, there is a silver lining at the end of the tunnel. Time only makes the difference.

Occasion calls for the objective ability to see things differently and to focus on the positive side of every situation. May we dispassionately look for what the legislation broadly holds for the economy.

At least for the first time, there is a framework that delivers socio-economic dividends directly to the communities, particularly based on what they need and how they want it delivered, unlike the previous approaches where interventions were determined without the inputs of the ultimate beneficiaries.

Also, it is simple logic that if there are no investments there will be nothing to share, or better still, if the fortunes of the oil companies improve, there will certainly be opportunities for improvement in their obligations to the communities. Otherwise, if we impose what would be difficult or impossible for them to pay, there would be friction which in the end undermines the target goals and objectives.

So it is rather appropriate to seek to exploit the inherent benefits of the legislation particularly in the areas of foreign direct investments and wealth creation through a viable rural economy. And apart from the dividends accruable to the communities, the overall government revenue is to be shared among the tiers of governments for developmental activities.

And above all, further amendments to this Act are possible in due course. It will be recalled that the Finance Act was amended three months later. So what matters now is to have a veritable foundation for future improvements especially as ‘grey areas’ have already been identified.

Therefore rather than dwell on negative sentiments, the people of the Niger Delta are to be cautious of those who might offer themselves as tacit collaborators towards short-changing the region again. This is very imperative considering the humongous past investments through the Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and the 13% Derivation Fund among others, which unfortunately produced minimal results. Primarily for pragmatism and prudence, attention should be focused on the make-up of the board of trustees that would administer the development fund.

Then on the flip side, it is not just about laws but the will to implement them faithfully. As such, the government should begin to appeal to the consciousness of Nigerians on the need to be patient and patriotic, through good governance, transparency and empathy. Governments at all levels should realize that it is routine to do things that benefit the masses and also that it is the lopsided distribution of national resources that propagate the trust deficit and other tendencies that undermine the stability of the country.

Probity, accountability and transparency among others which this legislation seeks to offer can only be achieved if every tier and arm of government does what is right. Hence, in this case, deliberate efforts should be made in ensuring that the narratives change for good.

However and in the national interest, the big question remains: beyond the fanfare and reservations trailing the PIA, is there any prospect for national development?

Thankfully, Ahmad Lawan in acknowledging these had announced that “we passed the PIB. But what is important is for the National Assembly to continue to track, monitor and supervise implementation of the PIB when it is eventually assented to by the President and the execution starts. This is because this is a 319 clause legislation and it is so sensitive, so central to our economy and lives of the people, particularly the host communities in the Niger Delta, in oil-producing states. So we need to devote sufficient time to ensuring that the implementation, especially in the Host Communities Fund is done in such a way that what we think and anticipate will happen in host communities happens. Otherwise, we have to come back and see where the flaws will be.”

On the part of the executive, the petroleum minister of state, Timipriye Sylva explained that “everything has been done in the national interest and in the interest of Nigeria…. There are lots of parts to it: community, government, industry, everybody’s interest has to be accommodated. We have been able to take a lot of interests on board. Not everybody will be on the same page. There’s no way government and private sector will be on the same page 100 per cent, but what we have tried to do is to narrow the gap as much as possible.”

Meanwhile and despite whatever shortcomings, the breakthrough recorded in this legislation underscores the benefits of collaboration in governance. Perhaps, the part of the PIB that was passed by the 8th national assembly could have either facilitated the processes for tackling or even addressed most of these prevailing concerns, had it been assented to. And quite significantly, this strategy drives the glimpses of success of this administration that are aggregating towards something tangible.

However and in the national interest, the big question remains: beyond the fanfare and reservations trailing the PIA, is there any prospect for national development?

*Egbo is the print media aide to the President of the Senate

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Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the closed doors meeting, the Senate President described the deliberation as fruitful, saying Nigerians troubled areas would in the two months have their environment secured to enable them engage in agricultural activities and other businesses.

According to him, the government could not shy away from securing the environment in both rural and urban parts of the country.

“I have come to meet with Mr. President to discuss the issue of security of our nation. And in fact, there is nothing more important today or more topical, than the security of Nigeria.

“We have discussed, we had a very extensive discussion on the security of all parts of Nigeria, and how we should go about improving the situation, we all have roles to play.

“Nobody would like to see the kind of thing that we experience in various parts of the country in the form of insecurity. As political leaders, we cannot shy away from that, we have to get our people secured, we have to secure the environment for them to earn the means of livelihood.

“We would like to see our farmers go back to farms before the rainy season starts. And this means we have to secure the rural parts of Nigeria as well as the urban centres because we need businesses to flourish.

“So, I believe that between now and probably the next two months, there will be a lot of activities to ensure that we cover and secure environments for people to lead a very normal life, where we also believe that the government is headed in the right direction,’’ he said.

Lawan commended the National Economic Council, NEC, for approving some funds from the Excess Crude Accounts, ECA, for the procurement of more sophisticated weapons and security gadgets for the armed forces.

He, therefore, expressed the hope that additional weapons when procured would go a long way in addressing security challenges across the country.

He said: “You recall that the National Economic Council approved of taking some funds from the excess crude accounts with a view to giving more resources to our armed forces.

“This is a commendable effort and we are ready to help with appropriation to ensure that we acquire those weapons for the armed forces to fight and end this insecurity in the North East, in the North West, in the South-South, and South West as well.

“We believe that this is also going to help empower and build the capacity of other security agencies like the police because the police need to be there.

“They (Police) are supposed to maintain the internal security and whenever the armed forces secure environment, the police should be there to stay put and make sure there is law and order.’’

On recent utterances by some political actors attempting to promote ethno-religious differences among peace-loving citizens, Lawan frowned at those politicians, saying such utterances were uncalled for.

“Recently, there have been a lot of arguments on what should happen, what should not, especially with regards to what political leaders would say or not supposed to say.

“I want to point out very clearly that the Nigerian citizen believes in Nigeria so strongly, and that is why you will find an Igbo man from the Southeast in the remotest part of northern Nigeria.

“That’s why you will find a Hausa man in faraway Southwest or Southeast or South-South and probably even marry from those areas. Probably he will be selling kolanuts, but he believes that this is Nigeria and he can live peacefully and is living and making a family. You will find a Yoruba man in faraway, South Eastern or northern Nigeria, maybe even becoming an indigene.

“I was born and brought up in Gashua, Gashua is in Yobe State and I want to use this as an example of how people can be integrated. The Kalega family lived in Gashua for almost 100 years.

“We are born to see the family like that. I earned a scholarship from my state, the Kalega family members earned the same scholarship. In fact, they are indigenes of my local government.

“So, we have this Nigerianness in our citizens. As political leaders, we are supposed to ensure that we support this kind of feeling by giving everybody protection.

“If a Yoruba man, a Southwestern decides to live in faraway Sokoto, he should be protected; If a Hausa man decides to live in faraway Bonny or Port Harcourt, he/she should be protected, and so on and so forth. Because this is how we will be able to use our diversity to weave it into a capacity to make Nigeria a big and successful nation.

“So, I believe that we will walk throughout, both the federal government, state governments, and even the local governments while our traditional rulers will have a role to play in this.”

On the ongoing forensic audit of the NDDC, the Senate President stressed the need to sanction all those implicated in wrong doings by the audit reports.

“I agree with Mr President, that we have to end the forensic audit to ensure that everything is done properly and the report is submitted to him.

“And here, it is very significant, that whoever is found culpable, should be treated as such, so that that will serve as a lesson and as a deterrent to others, because NDDC should have transformed the Niger Delta into a better environment than what it has,” he said.

The Senate President praised the Buhari-led administration for working to revamp the economy in line with its campaign promises to Nigerians.

Source:  NAN

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