“Prayer is not enough to develop Nigeria,” says David Mark

by Isi Esene Senate president, David Mark, has said more work needs to be done to achieve the rapid development of Nigeria adding that prayer is not enough. He admitted that the country has made appreciable progress since independence but the government must summon-up the political will to do what is needed to transform the... Read More

Abuja, anniversary, David Mark, independence, nigeria, October 1st, senate, Uche Chukwumerije

October 1, 2012

“Look inwards and do the right thing,” David Mark urge Nigerians #Independence52

by Isi Esene The Senate president, David Mark has released a goodwill message to Nigerians as the nation marks its 52nd Independence Anniversary. Mark expressed optimism that notwithstanding the myriad of challenges which the country faces presently Nigeria will reach the end of the tunnel. He stressed his belief that the destiny of the nation... Read More

boko haram, David Mark, independence, Insecurity, nigeria, senate

September 26, 2012

“Maku talks before thinking” – Senate president blasts information minister during plenary, as minister apologises

by Reuben Daba It was a sobering day on Tuesday at the Senate for Nigeria’s minister of information, Labaran Maku. Senate President David Mark verbally lashed the minister for some comments he made about Senate resolutions being non-binding, which riled senators. Mark called Maku a public officer who talks carelessly without first thinking of the... Read More

apology, comments, David Mark, Labaran Maku, senate

September 24, 2012

Pres. Jonathan plans cabinet reshuffle, seeks replacement for Barth Nnaji

by Isi Esene There are indications that the federal cabinet might witness some reshuffling as President Goodluck Jonathan prepares to find suitable replacements for the former power minister, Prof. Barth Nnaji and the former Defence Minister, Haliru Mohammed Bello. A source said the president will soon send names of possible replacements to the Senate for... Read More

Barth Nnaji, Defence, enugu, Goodluck Jonathan, Haliru Mohammed Bello, kebbi, Patrick Owoeye Azazi, Power, reshuffle, senate

September 22, 2012

Loudmouth: Senate summons Maku over ’embarrassing comments’

by Reuben Daba Whatever the National Assembly members had during their two months recess, it surely brought out the radical bent in them. Since their return, it has been one confrontation after another with the executive arm. Just a day after the Senate used the I-word in threatening President Jonathan, the senators were at it... Read More

CBN, Eyinnaya Abaribe, Labaran Maku, senate

September 21, 2012

The showdown continues: Senate threatens President Jonathan with impeachment

by Stanley Azuakola The relationship between President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly can only be described as frosty at best. Before the National Assembly went on recess, the House of Representatives had threatened the president with impeachment, following what they felt was his failure to implement the budget as approved. Since they returned from... Read More

Goodluck Jonathan, Ike Ekweremadu, Impeachment, senate, Uche Chukwumerije

September 20, 2012

Senate committee recommends Arik Air as national carrier

by Isi Esene The absence of a Nigerian national carrier is receiving attention from the Senate with its committee on aviation recommending Arik Air as a possible airline to assume that status. Hope Uzodinma, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation disclosed this recommendation while presenting the report of the committee’s findings regarding the... Read More

Arik, aviation, British Airways, David Mark, Hope Uzodinma, ministry, senate, Virgin Atlantic

September 20, 2012

House of Rep members demand N7m pay rise?

by Isi Esene Members of the House of Representatives resumed from their two-month recess on Wednesday agitating for a N7m increase in their quarterly allowances. The members are currently enjoying N27m per quarter as allowances but want it increased to N35m. There are unconfirmed reports that some of the lawmakers raised questions of impropriety against... Read More

Abuja, Aminu Tambuwal, budget, David Mark, Goodluck Jonathan, House of Representatives, senate, speaker, Transcorp Hilton, Zakari Mohammed

September 19, 2012

‘It is time to scrap the Senate’ – Senator Bola Tinubu

by Stanley Azuakola Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leader, Bola Tinubu, used to be member of the Senate. Presently, his wife, Remi Rinubu is a senator representing Lagos State. Yet, Tinubu has made a call for that body to be scrapped, so that Nigeria would be left with a single house in the legislative arm. Tinubu made this... Read More

Attahiru Jega, bola tinubu, Remi Tinubu, scrap, senate

September 19, 2012

UNILAG or MAULAG? Bill seeking name-change passes second reading

by Isi Esene Students and Alumni of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) continue to wallow in suspense as the bill seeking the institution’s name change to the Moshood Abiola University of Lagos (MAUL) passes second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives. President Goodluck Jonathan had in a nationwide broadcast announced the name... Read More

Alumni, democracy, Goodluck Jonathan, House of Representatives, maul, Moshood Abiola, senate, students, UNILAG, University

September 18, 2012

House of Representatives says NO to N5,000 note, Oteh’s reinstatement

by Stanley Azuakola The National Assembly has returned from its two months rest. And just in case Nigerians did not take note, the House of Representatives resumed today and kicked off proceedings by ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to shelve its plans to print the N5, 000 notes. Feedback from the Senate’s discussion... Read More

CBN, House of Representatives, national assembly, Oteh, Oteh Arunma, senate

September 5, 2012

Senate moves against Jonathan, opposes ceding of Bakassi to Cameroun

by Isi Esene The Nigerian Upper Legislative House is taking a different position on the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, an agreement which was taken during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Bakassi was, until the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, part of the Cross River State, South-south Nigeria. Reports indicate the... Read More

AGF, Attorney General of the Federation, Bakassi peninsula, Cameroon, Eyinaya Abaribe, ICJ, Mohammed Bello Adoke, olusegun obasanjo, senate

August 28, 2012

Hold it!: Senate committee orders suspension of planned N5,000 note

by Isi Esene The Senate Committee on Banking, Currency and other Financial Institutions yesterday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to halt its planned altering of Nigeria’s currency structure with the introduction of the N5,000 note. The Committee chairman, Mr. Bassey Otu, expressed surprise during a media briefing saying such proposed change required a comprehensive... Read More

Bassey Otu, Cashless policy, CBN, central bank of Nigeria, Chairman, Currency, denomination, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, senate

August 3, 2012

“Some section of the media has been misinforming” – Okonjo-Iweala speaks out about the budget (again)

by Adeniyi Abdul Minister of Finance and co-ordinating minister of the Economy Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has once again spoken out regarding the ongoing concerns over the implementation of the 2012 budget. Speaking on Wednesday at an interactive session organised by the Senate, she stated that 56 per cent remained the performance level of the 2012 budget... Read More

2012 budget, House of Reps, ngozi okonjo iweala, senate

July 23, 2012

‘Improve your service quality or leave’ – Senate threatens telecoms operators

by Isi Esene The Senate Committee on Communications has threatened telecommunications service providers in Nigeria to improve on their service delivery or leave the country. This was necessitated by the lingering poor quality of service experienced by subscribers. The chairman of the Senate Committee on Communications, Sen. Gil Emeka Nnaji, said the Senate was ready... Read More

Gil Emeka Nnaji, GSM, MTN, senate

July 12, 2012

“I will start with the issue of terrorism” – New Chief Justice talks tough

by Seyi Lawal As her track record shows, Justice Aloma Mukhtar is one tough lady, and she’s clearly not about to slow down now that she’s been appointed Chief Justice of Nigeria. Fielding questions from Senators at her confirmation hearing, she spoke on her plans to revamp the image of the judiciary and tackle corruption.... Read More

aloma muhktar, chief justice, CJN, corruption, senate, terrorism

June 12, 2012

Hell to the no-MAUL! Unilag Senate agrees with students, rejects new name

by Hauwa Gambo What kind of gift to President Goodluck Jonathan is this on the eve of the anniversary of Moshood Abiola’s stolen mandate? Well, yesterday, the Senate of the University of Lagos finally spoke up and agreed with the students who rejected the now controversial change in name of the school to the Moshood... Read More

jonathan, maul, Maulag, senate, students, UNILAG

June 11, 2012

Nigeria: Farouk Lawan, Is it business as usual?

By Akeremale Temitope and Rosanwo Babatunde The last has not been heard of the aftermath of the #OccupyNigeria protests which created a paradigm shift in the Nigerian polity. It is no longer news that Nigerians hit the street January 2012 to demand from the government, accountability and transparency in the way the finances of the nation was being... Read More

#fuelsubsidyreport, Bribery, corruption, farouk lawan, fuel subsidy, house, senate

June 6, 2012

Jonathan seeks Senate’s approval to effect name change for Unilag, others

The president is not slowing down in his push to have the University of Lagos (UNILAG) bear a new name, Moshood Abiola University, Lagos. He asked the Senate on Wednesday, June 6 for its approval to rename not just the University of Lagos, but two other universities in the country. In a letter sent by... Read More

jonathan, Moshood Abiola University Lagos, senate, University of Lagos

May 22, 2012

VP Sambo beefs GEJ: Last week’s news… with a pinch of salt

Senate releases ethical statement The Senate has been criticised for its support of the death sentences handed down to six Nigerians in Indonesia for alleged drug trafficking and for its silence in the face of non-payment of corps members. But the Senate spokesman, Eyinnaya Abaribe, in a swift reaction has condemned its condemners saying the... Read More

Bolaji Abdullahi, Goodluck Jonathan, nysc, Sambo, senate

April 18, 2012

#InCaseYouMissedIt: Senate condemns US World Bank monopoly

by Lekan Olanrewaju The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday spoke out about the World Bank presidency, condemning the stronghold the United States has on the position. Speaking on Tuesday after discussions on a motion by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Solomon Ita Enang and twenty other senators titled nomination of Dr. Ngozi... Read More

Okonjo-Iweala, senate, USA, World Bank

March 28, 2012

“I’m prepared to prostrate” – Sports Minister gets standing ovation at Senate hearing

by Lekan Olanrewaju The Supervising Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi yesterday, at the Senate Committee on Sports volunteered to personally reach out to aggrieved football administrators and placate them. This moved members of the Senate so much that his speech was interrupted with a standing ovation. Speaking at the second day of the Hearing on Sports held... Read More

senate, sports

March 26, 2012

Bribery! Trauma! Scandal! Check out the 7 most outrageous National Assembly scandals

by Lekan Olanrewaju You think the Arunma Oteh-Herman Hembe scandal is the worst of them all? Well think again. Since the Fourth Republic kicked off, we’ve rolled from one legislative drama to the next! In the wake of the current “Mealgate” scandal rocking the Nigerian Senate and Securities and Exchanges Commission, we’ve been forced once again... Read More

corruption, EFCC, Hearings, senate

September 29, 2011

No Homo! Senate bans same-sex marriage

Clement Odia The Senate has once again stamped their feet against same sex marriages in Nigeria. Any gay person in Nigeria who plans to get married to his/her partner will risk spending three years in jail. Those who are involved in the union will also suffer punishments – any person or group of persons who... Read More

bill, gay, homosexual, lesbianism, senate