MARCH 17TH, 2018 NEWSLETTER.

OFFICE OF THE

SENATE PRESIDENT
DR. ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI (CON)
ICC PRESIDENCY: SENATE PRESIDENT On Monday, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola
Saraki, congratulated Mr.  Chile Eboe-Osuji (a Nigerian), on his
CONGRATULATES EBOE-OSUJI election as the President of the  International Criminal
Court (ICC).

Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and

Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, described the
development as positive for Nigeria coming a few days after his
deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, was appointed a Professor by
the Southern University, United States of America, USA.

“
He noted that the emergence of Eboe-Osuji  during the 10th
session of the Assembly of State Parties of the ICC, at the UN
Headquarters in New York, was a testimony that Nigeria and
Distinguished colleagues, it is my appeal to each and every one of
Nigerians have
us, that our what it takes
legislative to Nigeria
duty to continueand
to provide leadership
her people, must beat
both the local
uppermost in and
our global
minds. Wearena.
must not allow the upcoming 2019
elections to overshadow our work for the people that elected us -
While wishing
or distract us the
fromeminent juristwe
that which a successful
are mandated tenure,
to dotheby Senate
the
President saidand
constitution hethewas sure
trust that the
reposed Judge
in us by thewould work
people. Thistoisjustify
my
the confidence
appeal: reposed
it is too earlyinforhim2019
by his colleagues
politicking who voted
to override theto
elevate him agenda
legislative to the position. 
and the larger work of governance. We have
begun a good thing with the economic core of our agenda; let us
see itdoubt,
"No to its proper conclusion. It
the Presidency ofwould
the be
ICCmost insensitive ato huge
represents the
needs of the people
responsibility. It is myof this
hopecountry
that ifEboe-Osuji
we were to will
do otherwise.
help lead the
Court to new levels of successes in the next three years," Saraki
stated. 

ELECTORAL ACT: SENATE PRESIDENT
READS EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION
FROM PRESIDENT
On Tuesday, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar
Bukola Saraki, read an Executive Communication from
President Muhammadu Buhari, in which the President cited
his reasons for withholding his assent on the Electoral Act of
2018, passed by the National Assembly.

Some of his reasons cited by Mr. President for not signing

the Bill included the following:

“A. The amendment to the sequence of elections in Section

25 of the principal act, may infringe upon the constitutionally
guaranteed discretion of the Independent National Electoral

“
Commission (INEC) to organize, undertake and supervise
elections provided
Distinguished
Constitution;
in Section
colleagues, it is my15(A)
appealof
to the
eachthird statueone
and every
us, that our legislative duty to Nigeria and her people, must be
uppermost in our minds. We must not allow the upcoming 2019
“B. The amend
elections to Section
to overshadow our 138
work of
forthe
the principal
people thatact
to of
the

to delete
elected us -
two crucialus grounds
or distract from that upon
which wewhich an election
are mandated to domay
by thebe
constitution and
challenged by the trust reposedunduly
candidates, in us by limits
the people.
the This is myof
rights
appeal: it in
candidates is elections
too early to for a2019
free politicking to overridereview
and fair electoral the
legislative agenda and the larger work of governance. We have
process; and
begun a good thing with the economic core of our agenda; let us
see it to its proper conclusion. It would be most insensitive to the
“C. Theofamendment
needs the people of tothisSection
country if152 Subsection
we were 325 of the
to do otherwise.
Principal Act may raise Constitutional issues over the
competence of the National Assembly to legislate over local
government elections.”

MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE:
“BEGIN SCREENING PROCESS”
SENATE PRESIDENT TELLS COMMITTEE
On Tuesday, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola
Saraki, directed the Senate Committee on Banking and
Finance, chaired by Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, to begin the
process of screening the 2 nominees for Deputy Governor of
Central Bank of Nigeria.

Speaking after a Point of Order raised by Senator Rafiu

Ibrahim, which stated that the Senate should consider the
screening of 2 Deputy Governors as members of the
Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to enable the MPC to
continue to direct the affairs of CBN, the Senate President
said:

“
“Thank
for the
you for
Distinguished
statesmanship
uppermostthat
For all it takes,
elections
bringingit is
colleagues,
roles
has minds.
in our always We
that
my up.
that
been
we will continue
to overshadow
they
mustfor
our work to
I commend
appeal

notthe
to each and
continue

forensure
issue
allow
to
the of
my

that that
the people
colleagues
every
play.
us, that our legislative duty to Nigeria and her people, must be
Chamber
one of
This
the economy.
upcoming
we see
is a
2019
theus
elected best
-
inor
thedistract
ease ofus doing
from that whichand
business we promoting
are mandated to do by the
confidence.
constitution and the trust reposed in us by the people. This is my
appeal: it as
“Inasmuch is we
too continue
early for to2019 politicking
defend to override
the institution andthe
the
legislative agenda and the larger work of governance. We have
Constitution, it is time that we look at the priorities and
begun a good thing with the economic core of our agenda; let us
understand what is important. Therefore, the Senate
see it to its proper conclusion. It would be most insensitive to the
Committee
needs of theChairman oncountry
people of this Banking,
if we please
were to doensure that you
otherwise.
complete that process so that we can give the necessary
support in this issue of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)
and the Deputy Governors of Central Bank.”
SENATE MOVES TO GUARANTEE President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki,
on Tuesday, stated that the Senate would work to
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR ensure that there is adequate funding for primary
HEALTHCARE healthcare across the country in 2018. He said that
this would be in-line with the provisions of the
National Primary Healthcare Act.

Speaking during the consideration of a Motion raised

by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi on the declaration of a
state of emergency in the Public Health Sector, Saraki
said that the funding of the sector — in accordance

“with the existing law — would be the best way to solve

the infrastructural
Distinguished
system.
colleagues, itdecay in Nigeria’s
is my appeal healthcare
to each and every

uppermost in our minds. We must not allow the upcoming 2019

Following
elections the Senate
to overshadow President’s
our work
one of
us, that our legislative duty to Nigeria and her people, must be

comments,
for the people that elected usthe
-
orSenate
distract moved
us from to thatinsert
which anwe are mandatedclause
additional to do byto the
the
constitution and the trust reposed in us by the people. This is my
Motion urging the entire National Assembly to ensure
appeal: it is too early for 2019 politicking to override the
the adequate
legislative agenda and funding
the largerforworkhealthcare across
of governance. We havethe
nation,
begun a goodin-line
thing with theeconomic
with the provisions
core ofof
ourthe National
agenda; let us
Primary
see it to its Healthcare Act inIt the
proper conclusion. 2018
would budget.
be most insensitive to the
needs of the people of this country if we were to do otherwise.
“I hope that as we are doing the 2018 budget, we will
take note of this,” said the Senate President.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Remarks by the
“
ON WHY IT IS NECESSARY
“Over the last few years alone, our
country has witnessed massive flooding in
some areas, lead poisoning in places like
“ ON HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
WITH THE ECOLOGICAL FUND
“During my time as Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Environment and Ecology, I had
cause to decry a N9.3 billion Clean Cookstoves
President of the Bagega in Zamfara State, while oil spills
and its attendant woes remain an
Contract, supposedly from the Ecological Fund,
awarded without transparency and in breach of
Senate, Dr. Abubakar everyday concern in the Niger Delta.”  the procurement process.”

Bukola Saraki, at the ON PROBLEMS IT WILL ON THE SOLUTIONS

Public Hearing on a Bill SOLVE PROPOSED BY THE BILL
“Even the Herdsmen-and-Farmers crisis we
for an Act to Establish a r e c u r r e n t l y ex p e r i e n c i n g i s n o t
“This Bill recognises the many anomalies in the
administration on the Fund and seeks to rectify
the Ecological Fund for unconnected with environmental
degradation, as desertification forces them. The intention is to bring accountability,
the Purpose of Funding pastoralists to seek new grazing grounds transparency and credibility to the management
of the Fund.”
for their herds.” 
Certain Federal
ON THE CURRENT ON THE LEGISLATIVE
Agencies Dealing with MANAGEMENT OF THE FRAMEWORK & OVERSIGHT
Environmental and FUND
“The Fund’s misuse can only be checked if the
Ecological Problems. “But, what has been our experience with
proper legislative framework is put in place.
the Ecological Fund as it currently exists?
Such a law would also aid the National
The Fund has, since t he return to
Assembly’s oversight function as regards the
democratic rule in 1999, been the subject
Wednesday, March of much controversy, owing to the opacity utilisation of the Fund…The Bill will impose no
financial burden on the Federal Government and
14th, 2018 of its disbursement, often on the pretext of
anything but ecology and the does not require the setting up of any Agency or
environment.”  Commission.”
 SENATE On Tuesday, the President of the Senate,
Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, met with Mr.
PRESIDENT Khemaies Jhinaoui, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Tunisia, and Mr Jalel Trabelsi,
MEETS the Tunisian Ambassador to Nigeria.

TUNISIAN The meeting centered around the

relationship between both nations, the
FOREIGN economy, and investment in Nigeria.

MINISTER Read more here: https://goo.gl/PtwbZA


MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE: SENATE
BEGINS SCREENING OF MEMBERS
In accordance with the provisions of Section 12 (1)(4) of the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act of 2007, on Wednesday,
the Senate began the process of screening the members of
the Monetary Police Committee of the Central Bank of
Nigeria.
Senate Deputy Leader, Senator Ibn Na’Allah, moved the
Motion. Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki,
directed the matter to the Committee on Banking and
Finance, and asked them to report back to the full plenary
within 1-week.
SENATE PASSES NATIONAL TRANSPORT
“
COMMISSION BILL
On Thursday, the 8th Senate passed the National Transport
Commission Bill. The Bill seeks to create a legislative framework that
will allow Nigeria to develop a uniform regulatory policy in the
transportation sector.
This Bill will also apply with consistent application across all of the
major transportation modes and to make the most efficient use of
limited regulatory resources in the sector, by promoting regulatory
efficiency and consistency in Nigeria’s transport policies.
Speaking on the passage of the Bill, President of the Senate, Dr.
Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said: “This Bill has a lot to do with investment
and making our transport sector more cost-effective for everyday
Nigerians. It will also create more jobs, and I think that we have done
a good thing in passing this Bill today,” he said.

KOGI KILLINGS: SENATE URGES PRESIDENT
BUHARI TO SEND IN POLICE, MILITARY TO
RESTORE CALM
The Senate has condemned the attack on innocent
civilians in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State,
and has also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to
direct the Nigerian Police Force and the military to move
to Kogi State to restore calm. This resolution followed a
Point of Order raised by Senator Atai Aidoko (Kogi East)
on the issue.
“Whether we like it or not,
we do not have an excuse —
this is an issue for the
government.”
In his comments, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar
Bukola Saraki said: “Whether we like it or not, we do not
have an excuse — this is an issue for the government. The
government is here in parliament and the government is
also the executive and we cannot separate the two — this
is the reality of it. So, we too must come up with solutions
to these killings.”
The Senate also resolved to sympathize with the families
of the victims; urge the Inspector General of Police and
all security agencies in Kogi State to arrest the
perpetrators of this crime; while also calling on the
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to
send relief materials and assistance to the affected
victims.
SENATE TO WRITE CHIEF JUSTICE On Thursday, the Senate resolved to write the Chief Justice of
Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnogen, over the issue of separation of
OVER ‘SEPARATION OF POWERS’ powers.

Following a Point of Order raised by Senator Godswill Akpabio,

who cited Orders 42 and 52 and spoke on the newspaper
reports about an injunction granted against the National
Assembly by a Federal High Court, which seeks to stop it from
taking further action on the Electoral Act of 2018.

The Senate then resolved to write to the CJN, informing him of

the latest injunction and informing him to caution all judges to

“ensure that they adhere and respect the doctrine of the

separation of powers.
Distinguished colleagues, it is my appeal to each and every one of
us, that our legislative duty to Nigeria and her people, must be
Speaking on the decision, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar
uppermost in our minds. We must not allow the upcoming 2019
Bukola Saraki said: “I keep on reiterating that we must
elections to overshadow our work for the people that elected us -
sustainably build all these institutions. We will all leave these
or distract us from that which we are mandated to do by the
positions someday, and this is why we must strengthen our
constitution and the trust reposed in us by the people. This is my
institutions.
appeal: it is too early for 2019 politicking to override the
legislative agenda and the larger work of governance. We have
“We a
begun allgood
are thing
very with
cleartheoneconomic
this issue.
coreThere
of ourisagenda;
separation
let usof
powers.
see it to itsWe haveconclusion.
proper our responsibilities and
It would be theinsensitive
most judiciary to
hastheits
own. of
needs Therefore,
the peopleeveryone must ifwork
of this country to fulfill
we were to dothe mandate of
otherwise.
their responsibilities. Hence, we will liaise with the Office of the
CJN on this issue,” the Senate President said.
w w w. s e n a t e p r e s i d e n t . g o v. n g