November 10, 2023
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack any head of government agency that fails to attend the public hearing on the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) at the National Assembly.
This is as some of ministers and heads of agencies failed to honour the invitations of committees on public hearings, yesterday.
In the MTEF/FSP, the Federal Government pegged the price of crude oil at $73.96; exchange rate at N700/$; oil production at 1.78 million barrels per day; debt service of N8. 25 trillion; inflation at 21 per cent and GDP growth at 3.76 per cent.
The aggregate expenditure is estimated at N26.01 trillion for the 2024 budget, which includes statutory transfers of N1.3 trillion, non-debt recurrent expenditure of N10.26 trillion, debt service estimated at N8.25 trillion, as well as N7.78 trillion provided for personnel and pension cost.
The public hearing was organised by the Senate Joint Committees on Finance; Appropriations; National Planning and Economic Affairs and Local and Foreign Debt to dissect the fiscal document with the chief executives of government-owned agencies with a view to increasing the national revenue base.
The approved MTEF/FSP would set out the parameters upon which next year’s budget will be prepared.
September 19, 2023
Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Femi Falana has lent his voice to the dispute between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Senator representing the FCT; Ireti Kingibe.
The renowned constitutional lawyer noted that the FCT minister in terms of execution of duties was not answerable to Kingibe or the National Assembly.
The FCT Senator had warned Wike to desist from working without the supervision of the National Assembly, in the wake of appointments made by the FCT minister; Nyesom Wike. Kingibe also noted that the FCT minister does not have executive powers but must operate within the constitutional frameworks of the country’s legislative arm.
Ireti Kingibe had said, “You also have to remember that the minister of the FCT – I’m not sure we have had a former governor as a minister, I think we have had one. Some [former] governors may think that as an FCT minister, the minister does not have executive powers. He works hand-in-hand with the National Assembly and the president to administer the FCT.”
However, interpreting the constitution, Falana stated that Kingibe was wrong to have said that the minister was answerable to the National Assembly in the discharge of his duties.
He said, “The distinguished senator is wrong. The power of the executive with respect to the FCT lies with the President. Making laws and passing laws for the FCT are the business of the National Assembly.
“Section 299(a) of the constitution provides: The provisions of this constitution shall apply to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja as if it were one of the states of the Federation; and accordingly
“(a) all the legislative powers, the executive powers and the judicial powers vested in the House of Assembly, the governor of a state and in the courts of a state shall, respectively, vest in the National Assembly, the President of the Federation and in the courts which by virtue of the foregoing provisions are courts established for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”
He further explained that since the executive powers of the FCT are vested in the President who then delegates them to the minister as he pleases, the minister can act in the capacity of the President who is the governor of the FCT.
Falana said, “The executive powers of the FCT are vested in the President, the legislative powers are vested in the National Assembly, while the judicial powers are vested in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
“To that extent, it is very wrong to say that since there is no governor in the FCT, the executive powers are vested in the National Assembly; those powers are vested in the President.
“So, whenever the president appoints a minister, the minister is performing in the powers delegated to him or her by the President.”
“If you are dissatisfied with the decision taken by anyone in the FCT, you go to the FCT High Court.” Falana quipped.
July 4, 2023
The Adamu-led National Working Committee NWC of the ruling All Progressives Congress; APC, has disowned the majority leadership positions announced by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, saying the party has not officially communicated the presiding officers.
National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu made the declaration on Tuesday at a meeting with governors of the party.
The President of the Senate, had announced Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central as the Senate Majority leader and former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno Soutg as the Senate Chief Whip.
Reading the letter from the All Progressives Congress, APC, Akpabio also announced Senator Dave Umahi, APC, Ebonyi South as the Deputy Leader and Senator Lola Ashiru , APC, Kwara South as the Deputy Whip.
The Minority positions were handed to Mwadkwon Davou -Senate Minority Leader (Plateau North, PDP), Kamorudeen Olarere as Deputy Minority Leader (Osun West, PDP), Darlington Nwokeocha as Senate Minority Whip (Abia Central, LP) and Rufai Hanga as Deputy Minority Whip ( Kano Central, NNPP).
At the House of Representative, the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, on Tuesday, revealed the new principal officers of the 10th House of Representatives.
They include Julius Ihonvbere (APC – Edo, House Majority Leader), Halims Abdullahi (APC – Kogi, Deputy Majority Leader), Bello Kumo (APC – Gombe, Chief Whip), Adewunmi Onanuga (APC – Ogun, Deputy Chief Whip).
Abbas also read a letter from the Minority Caucus which detailed the names of the principal officers.
The letter named Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Minority Leader), Aliyu Madaki (NNPP, Deputy Minority Leader), Ali Isah (PDP, Minority Whip), and George Ozodinobi (Labour Party, Deputy Minority Whip).
