Legislature
10th NASS leadership: APC’s microzoning encounters hiccup
***Parliamentary Network kicks against executive interference
Members of the Parliamentary Advocacy Network (PAN), Nigeria), have expressed displeasure at the political shenanigans, executive recklessness/misadventures and unwanton interference in the selection of the leadership of the national Assembly that is supposed to be exclusive right of Lawmakers-Elect of the National Assembly.
The network which is a pressure group with bias for the independence of the National and States Houses of Assembly, frowned at the developments in the build-up to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly and the election of its Presiding Officers
The Network at an emergency meeting in Abuja on Sunday, deliberated on the issues at stake across the country, especially the choice of the Presiding Officers of the 10th Assembly by the incoming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Network noted with dismay how what ought to have been a simple, seamless and innocuous parliamentary process is being allowed to overheat the nation’s political system in a manner that is reminiscent of the weeks and days leading to the last General Elections.
In a communique signed by its National Coordinator, Sunny Anderson Osiebe, National Secretary, Fred Itua and National Publicity Secretary, Nkem Anyata-Lafia – the Network indicated: “We have also noted the widening and dangerous predilection to what looks to be a budding and rising incidence in Executive interference and rascality in the activities of the National Assembly, which we perceive deeply as a misconception of what in political parlance is, usually, termed as “lobbying”.
“While we condemn this overbearing attempt to railroad the emerging 10th National Assembly in the direction of a particular mind-set, we wish to inform Nigerians that the Legislature is one of the three arms of Government, whose independence is guaranteed by our Constitution and the principles of democratic governance.
“The fact of the above, therefore, compels the need for Nigerians of all tongues and creeds to rise in unison in condemnation of the aforementioned activities in order to nip in the bud the general tendency by members of the Executive and their powerful individual agents of coerciveness to take over the activities of the Legislature in the emerging 10th National Assembly.
“The Network, therefore, resolved as follows: To condemn the recent purported endorsement of a named individual Lawmakers-Elect for presiding officers’ positions by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“To inform Nigerians and the world that, in reaching this decision, the Network had since noted and supported the gains of zoning political offices at our national level and, indeed, at the level of the National Assembly, as promoting fairness, political balance, equity and all defined virtues that go to address our diversity and fault lines.
“We, therefore, wonder why , instead of zoning positions to geographic regions as the word “zoning” itself implies, candidatures of certain individuals have not only been bandied, but are being forced down the throats of Lawmakers-Elect and the National Assembly as an independent institution of democracy against every known democratic tenet.
“To condemn as undemocratic, self-serving and negatively pre-emptive, the actions of members of the ruling Party, including those of the President-Elect, Tinubu, those of the outgoing Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje and their co-travellers on this ignoble path of perdition as a dangerous interference in the rights, duties, responsibilities and activities of Lawmakers-Elect for the emerging 10th National Assembly and to call all law-abiding Nigerians to join us in condemning these actions that are capable of setting Lawmakers-Elect against themselves in a manner that may infuse bad blood and divide their ranks all through the pendency of the 10th National Assembly.
“To call on all Lawmakers-Elect never to hearken to a “zoning” directive or formula by their parties, or anyone for that, which has the capacity to concentrate power in a particular geopolitical zone to the disadvantage of others, using whatever parameters.
“The Network observes that, it is disheartening to note that, at this level of our national evolution, a person or a group of persons is prescribing a zoning arrangement that will see both the Deputy President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives come from the same North West that is exiting the Presidency and is likely being positioned for the SGF on an account of the funny narrative that the Zone gave over 2 million votes to the President-Elect against other considerations!
“We call on all Nigerians to be vigilant and continue to stand sentinel against all inordinate desires and ambitions of a few that have the propensity to torpedo all that our nation stands for.”
The National Assembly has modified the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act to prescribe life imprisonment for individuals found guilty of storing, transporting, or concealing illicit drugs and substances.
The amendment was adopted on Thursday during plenary, presided over by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, following broad support from the senators.
The amendment reflects a harmonised position of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Section 11 of the NDLEA Act.
The House had earlier passed an amendment prescribing life imprisonment for drug traffickers, while the Senate had proposed the death penalty.
To reconcile the differences, a conference committee of both chambers was convened. Senator Tahir Monguno, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, presented the harmonised version to the Senate.
He urged lawmakers to adopt the House’s position of life imprisonment, arguing that enforcing the death penalty could lead to the execution of over 900 accused persons currently awaiting trial for drug-related offenses.
The Deputy Senate President who presided over the plenary had put the resolution to a voice vote, and the majority of senators supported the amendment.
The approved version stipulates life imprisonment for offenders.
The amended section now reads:
“Anybody who is unlawfully involved in the storage, custody, movement, carriage, or concealment of dangerous drugs or controlled substances and who, while so involved, is armed with any offensive weapon or is disguised in any way, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and liable on conviction to be sentenced to life imprisonment.”
This amendment aims to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking while addressing concerns over human rights and the judicial implications of the death penalty.
The move is part of efforts to curb the growing menace of drug trafficking and its adverse effects on Nigerian society. According to Senator Monguno, the life imprisonment penalty strikes a balance between deterrence and humane judicial practice.
With the amendment, the NDLEA now has a robust legal framework to prosecute offenders and combat drug-related crimes effectively.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested the National Assembly’s approval for a $2.209 billion (₦1.767 trillion) external borrowing plan to finance part of the ₦9.17 trillion fiscal deficit in the 2024 budget. The loan, included in the 2024 Appropriation Act, is critical to the government’s broader strategy for economic recovery and growth.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu noted that the borrowing aligns with the provisions of Sections 21(1) and 27(1) of the Debt Management Office (DMO) Establishment Act, 2003. He also indicated that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the plan.
The President explained that the funds would be sourced through Eurobonds or similar external financial instruments. A detailed summary of the loan’s terms and conditions accompanied the letter to guide legislative scrutiny.
“This borrowing is necessary to address the budget deficit and fulfill our fiscal strategy for 2024. Swift approval will enable us to move forward with mobilizing these funds,” the President stated, emphasizing the urgency of the request.
Senate President Akpabio referred the matter to the Committee on Local and Foreign Deb
By Isah Bala
Access to quality education is a cornerstone of societal progress, and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is embodying this vision by bringing transformative educational tools to Kogi Central. In a groundbreaking initiative, the senator recently provided 5,000 digital learning devices to public primary and secondary schools in her district, aiming to bridge the digital divide and set a new educational standard.
The devices, unveiled at Abdul Aziz Attah Memorial College (AAAMCO), are preloaded with the Nigerian curriculum from UBEC and internationally acclaimed educational resources, including Khan Academy and Discovery Kids. Through this initiative, students will experience interactive learning, enabling them to explore subjects in depth, enhance digital literacy, and engage with complex topics in a hands-on way.
This project is just the beginning of Senator Natasha’s ambitious plan to make “smart schools” the norm in Kogi Central. She envisions a future where every child in her district has equal access to digital learning, stating, “My dream is to equip all public primary and secondary schools in Kogi Central with digital learning devices before the end of my tenure in 2027.”
Beyond device distribution, the senator’s initiative includes UBEC-led teacher training to ensure educators are equipped to integrate these tools into their classrooms effectively.
With this dual approach of student and teacher empowerment, Senator Natasha is laying a foundation that will support digital literacy and skill development for years to come.
Senator Natasha’s commitment to educational advancement represents a significant step forward for Kogi Central, ensuring that young students have access to the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. This initiative marks her dedication to the constituency that entrusted her with this mandate.
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