Abuja, Nigeria: Bukola Saraki, the Nigeria Senate President is the next person dumping the ruling party -All Progressives Congress.
Saraki announced the shocking news via his twitter timeline, and will join other senators that have dumped APC for their previous party, PDP.
As the war to fight fantastically corrupt leaders in Nigeria, Bukola Saraki, the Senate president has called on Muslim clerics and have invited them to his house to pray for success to win the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Monday.
The Senate president has been in the centre of corruption charges for false and anticipatory assets declaration charge and is to appear in continuation of his CCT that was adjourned last Wednesday.
At the time of writing, the Bukola Saraki was in court with his team of lawyers.
The Nigeria presidentpresident, Muhammadu Buhari has finally signed the Nigeria budget of 2016 into law. The signing of the controversial budget was signed inside the executive office of the president.
The Nigeria budget had been the centre of different controversies after the house of Assembly said the initial budget document was missing, and another news that budget had been padded by some selfish Nigerians, while another report said that the Lagos-Calabar railway project was missing in the budget inclusion.
While all these were happening, the Nigerian president refused to sign the budget until it meets the standard that will benefit the whole country and not some individuals. On May 6th, 2016, the final budget was signed, and had in attendance the Vice-president, Yemi Osibajo, Embattled senate president, Bukola Saraki, speaker of the house of reps, Yakubu Dogara and other ministers and aides to the president.
The Lagos-Calabar project has now been included in the project too.
Read The Remark Of The Nigeria President President On The Budget :
It gives me great pleasure today to sign the first full-year budget of this administration into law. I thank the leadership of the National Assembly, in particular, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and indeed all members of the National Assembly for their cooperation in making this a reality.
The budget is intended to signpost a renewal of our commitment to restoring the budget as a serious article of faith with the Nigerian people. This Administration is committed to ensuring that henceforth the annual appropriation bill is presented to the National Assembly in time for the passage of the Act before the beginning of the fiscal year.
Through the 2016 budget, aptly titled “Budget of Change’’, the government seeks to fulfil its own side of the social contract. The Budget I have signed into law provides for aggregate expenditures of N6.06trn. Further details of the approved budget, as well as our Strategic Implementation Plan for the 2016 budget, will be provided by the Honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning.
I shall be speaking in more details about the Budget, its implementation and the over-all national economic and social policies of the Government in my address on May 29th, God willing.
In designing the 2016 budget, we made a deliberate choice to pursue an expansionary fiscal policy despite the huge decline in government revenues from crude oil exports. This is why we decided to enlarge the budget deficit at this time, to be financed principally through foreign and domestic borrowings. All borrowings will however be applied towards growth-enhancing capital expenditures.
The signing of the budget today will trigger concerted efforts to reflate the Nigerian economy, a key element of which is an immediate injection of N350bn into the economy by way of capital projects. To illustrate our renewed commitment to infrastructural development, the 2016 budget allocates over N200bn to road construction as against a paltry N18bn allocated for same purpose in the 2015 budget.
Despite the current difficulties we will work extra-hard to achieve our revenue projections. Our revenue generating agencies are coming under better management and are being re-oriented. The implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) is expected to contribute significantly to improving transparency over government revenues.
Our determined fight against corruption is resulting in improvements in the quality of public expenditure. The work of the Efficiency Unit, as well as other public financial management initiatives, are also contributing in this regard. The continuing efforts to reduce recurrent expenditures should hopefully free up more funds for capital expenditure in 2017 and beyond.
As I said in my New Year message, living in State House does not in any way alienate me from your daily struggles. I read the newspapers and listen to the TV and radio news. I hear your cries. I share your pains.
We are experiencing probably the toughest economic times in the history of our Nation. I want to commend the sacrifice, resilience and toughness of all Nigerians young and old who have despite the hardships continued to have hope and confidence of a great future for Nigerians. But permit me to say that this government is also like none other. We are absolutely committed to changing the structure of the Nigerian economy once and for all.
We are working night and day to diversify the economy so that we never again have to rely on one commodity to survive as a country. So that we can produce the food we eat, make our own textiles, produce most of the things we use. We intend to create the environment for our young peoples to be able to innovate and create jobs through technology.
I cannot promise you that this will be an easy journey, but in the interest of so much and so many we must tread this difficult path. I can assure you that this government you have freely elected will work with honesty and dedication, day and night to ensure that our country prospers and that the prosperity benefits all Nigerians. God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Nigerian Senate President, Bukola Saraki is currently in court over allegations of corruption, but it seems it is not only the Nigerian senator that is interested in hoarding Nigerian money, but is two top security details have been exposed recently. The two men, Abdulrasheed Hamidu Maigari and George Mwatapwa Ibbi led a heist and carted away N310 Million from a bureau de change that was transporting the money to the senator.
Abdulrasheed Hamidu Maigari was reported to have led the robbery with another seven soldiers. According to Sahara reporters, the security men ambushed the operator of the Bureau de change,a nd forced him to give them the money on November 20th, 2015, but the DSS and Mr. Saraki conspired to cover the heist to protect the senate president further embarrassment and Nigerians raising eyebrow on the said stolen funds.
Local media in Nigeria have recently reported how the senate president who had been in corruption turmoil since assuming office is planning to bribe his way out of the recent code of conduct tribunal accusing him of siphoning funds meant for his state while he was governor of Kwara state.
Also Bukola Saraki and the DSS decided to put a mute on the news getting out to the public as it would confirm the speculations that Saraki had been using Bureau de change agents to launder funds while he was governor of Kwara state.
When the covered-up heist was published to the media, Bukola Saraki sent a press statement to few Nigerian media houses confirming the news of his security detail masterminding the heist, but the real truth of the heist was not revealed as some of the media houses suggested they were working on Saraki plea to conceal the information.
In Bukola Saraki statement released in the Nigerian media, he had denied that the money belonged to him, and the police and DSS have concluded, and according to law enforcement investigation, the money belonged to an unnamed bureau the change.
But an anonymous source in the DSS said that Mr Saraki is only deceiving himself, as the police were not allowed to investigate the case, because the DSS director general, Lawal Daura, kept police away from the case, and that is the reason are yet to release a statement on the case as they are working on a predetermined case, Sahara reporters reported.
This is the statement Bukola Saraka issued out to some selected Nigeria media
N310m Robbery: Again, Count Me Out
Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki today (Tuesday) dismissed claims by the online medium, SaharaReporters, that he was the owner of the N310m said to have been stolen during a robbery operation involving some military and State Security Service (SSS) officials.
In a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said the stolen money did not belong to him and that he did not know the owner, who is said to be a Bureau De Change operator.
“The Senate President was in Paris attending the Globe COP 21 Conference for Legislators on the Climate Change when we read the Sahara Reporters version of the report on a statement issued by the spokesperson of the SSS.
“The initial reaction of the Senate President when his attention was drawn to the SaharaReporters story in Paris was that the owners and their sponsors of the online medium simply wanted to draw him into a needless controversy and therefore they should be ignored. However, on his return to Abuja Monday night when many of his friends and well wishers expressed concern over his silence on the report, it became necessary for him to make clarification on it.
“We want to say categorically that Dr. Saraki is not the owner of the stolen money. He does not know the owner who is said to be a Bureau de change operator. The Police that investigated the robbery incident and the SSS, which issued a statement on it, can confirm that there is no link between the Senate President with the ownership of the money.
“Unfortunately, two of the suspects in the case are said to be part of the men attached to the security team of the Senate President. As anybody could confirm, the SSS selects its officers who are attached to top officials. In most cases, the principal does not select who work in his security team.
“In fact, the first time the Senate President heard about the incident was when the Commissioner of Police, Abuja, requested the Aide-in-Camp to get his permission for the SSS agents to report to his office in connection with an on-going investigation on a robbery incident.
“To further put a lie to the claims by SaharaReporters, Dr. Saraki hereby requests that the security agencies involved in the investigation should make further public clarification on the case so as to enlighten members of the public.
“The Senate President just like any interested Nigerian followed the police investigation as it progresses, believing that justice will be done at the end of the day.
“The report by SaharaReporters is another case of manipulation and distortion of facts and situations to achieve some sinister purposes. This online medium is, with every false reports it publishes against the person and office of the Senate President discrediting itself and making it clear that it is not worth believing by reasonable members of the public,” the statement added.
Signed
Yusuph Olaniyonu
Special Adviser to the Senate President
The Nigerian senate president has read out to the senate the last batch of the Buhari's ministerial nominees. The names of the 16 ministerial nominees are :
Photos showing some new ministerial nominees. Photo credit: Sahara reporters
1. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim -Yobe
2. Brigadier-General Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd)-Zamfara
3. Claudius Omoleye Daramola -Ondo
4. Prof Anthony Onwuka-Imo
5. Jeffery Onyema
6. Barr. James E. Ocholi -Kogi
7. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed - Kaduna
8. Okechukwu Enelamah - Abia
9. Muhammadu Bello
10. Mustapha Baba Shesuri
11. Miss Aisha Abubakar
12. Heineken Lokpobiri - Bayelsa
13. Adamu Adamu
14. Prof Isaac Adewole - Osun
15. Pastor Usani Usani Uguru - Cross River
16. Abubakar Buhari Bawa
The NIgeria president, Muhammadu Buhari promised Nigerians and the international committee that he will be releasing the names of his ministers on September. Nigerians have always asked the question of Nigerians ministers and have tagged the government as "Baba Go-slow" for his slow method of choosing the right candidates.
On Tuesday, the Senate president, bukola Saraki who had previously confirmed via his twitter account that he had received the names of ministerial nominees, read out the 21 ministerial nominees to the Senate for screening, and the past governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola, ex-governor of Rivers and staunch supporter of Buhari, Rotimi Amaechi and the former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi all makes the list.
Complete Names Of Ministerial Nominees
1. Rotimi Amaechi
2. Babatunde Fashola
3. Kayode Fayemi
4. Adebayo Shittu
5. Audu Ogbeh
6. Chris Ngige
7. Amina Ibrahim
8. Kemi Adeosun
9. Lai Mohammed
10. Ogbonnaya Onu
11. Ibe Kachikwu
12.Aisha Alhassan
13. Hadi Sirika
14. Udo Udoma
15. Solomon Dalong
16. Ibrahim Usman
17. Ahmed Ibeto
18. Suleiman Adamu
19. Abubakar Malami
20. Abdulrahman Dambazzau
21. Osagie Ehamere
Bukola Saraki is not having the best time this week as the Nigerian senate president. Saraki who was recently brought to the code of conduct tribunal for allegations of corruption and false declaration of asset might have gotten the shock of his life after his own people also threw stones and satchet of water at him and chanted , Thief!!! Thief!!! Thief!!! and had to be camouflaged out of the praying ground.
The praying ground was full of dignitaries from far and wide in Kwara state, among whom are Senator Hon. Ali Ahmad, former minister of Youths Development and Sport, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, and the Senate President himself, Bukola Saraki.
But when it was time for the hoodlums to attack, security forces couldn't even stop them, as they stop their celebration and pelted stone at the Senate president. It took the intervention of security personnel to whisk him away from the venue.
Eight people have been arrested in connection of the hooliganism, two people were injured and some vehicles damaged, Ajayi I Okasanmi, Assistant Superintendent of Police confirmed while speaking to the press.
Watch Video of Bukola Saraki humiliated in Kwara State:
The Nigerian senate president was in the "Code Of Conduct" tribunal to answer for all his criminal allegation this week, and all the charges were all about his false asset declaration.
We present you the video of his false asset declaration this week for those that missed it, and also to remind you that if at any point Bukola Saraki is guilty of any of these charges, he might lose the sit of the speaker or the Senate house of Assembly.
Watch the video below:
After refusing to meet the "Code Of Conduct" tribunal twice, the warrant of arrest issued by the chairperson heading the tribunal, Danladi Umar has finally made him (Bukola Saraki) succumbed to attending the hearing today in Abuja.
Saraki was at the tribunal today escorted to the hearing with 50 other senators. While at the tribunal, there was a little bit of drama as the Nigerian senate president, Bukola Saraki refuses to enter the accused box, taking few minutes as lawyers of Mr Saraki and the chairperson of the tribunal argues if Saraki will be in the accused box or not, Bukola Saraki later entered into the accused for the hearing, and 13 counts of corruption charges were read to him by the lead prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Jacob. He pleaded no-guilty to all charges.
Mr Saraki was granted bail and was allowed to leave the accused person box, and was told by the chairperson of the tribunal, Danladi Umar to return to the tribunal hearing on October 21st, 2015 for a three-day trial that will end on October 23rd.
If Bukola is found guilty of breaching the code of conduct, this is what might happen according to the Nigeria constitution;
18. (1) Where the Code of Conduct Tribunal finds a public officer guilty of
contravention of any of the provisions of this Code it shall impose upon that
officer any of the punishments specified under sub-paragraph (2) of this
paragraph and such other punishment as may be prescribed by the National
Assembly.
(2) The punishment which the Code of Conduct Tribunal may impose shall
include any of the following -
(a) vacation of office or seat in any legislative house, as the case may be;
(b) disqualification from membership of a legislative house and from the
holding of any public office for a period not exceeding ten years; and
(c) seizure and forfeiture to the State of any property acquired in abuse or
corruption of office.
(3) The sanctions mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) hereof shall be without
prejudice to the penalties that may be imposed by any law where the
conduct is also a criminal offence.
(4) Where the Code of Conduct Tribunal gives a decision as to whether or
not a person is guilty of a contravention of any of the provisions of this
Code, an appeal shall lie as of right from such decision or from any
punishment imposed on such person to the Court of Appeal at the instance
of any party to the proceedings.
(5) Any right of appeal to the Court of Appeal from the decisions of the
Code of Conduct Tribunal conferred by sub-paragraph (4) hereof shall be
exercised in accordance with the provisions of an Act of the National
Assembly and rules of court for the time being in force regulating the
powers, practice and procedure of the Court of Appeal.
5
(6) Nothing in this paragraph shall prejudice the prosecution of a public
officer punished under this paragraph or preclude such officer from being
prosecuted or punished for an offence in a court of law.
(7) The provisions of this Constitution relating to prerogative of mercy shall
not apply to any punishment imposed in accordance with the provisions of
this paragraph.
Watch the video of Saraki Bukola hearing here:
The code of conduct tribunal (CCT) has ordered the inspector general of police, Mr. Solomon Arase to produce the Nigerian senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki, after he failed to appear before the tribunal last week for corruption allegations.
The CCT accused box remains empty has Saraki failed to show up for the second time
Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, gave the order to the IGP today (Monday) after Bukola Saraki failed to appear before the council the second time.