Senate To Confirm Buhari’s Service Chiefs …Endorses Saraki’s Leadership …As Minority Leaders Emerge

President Muhammadu Buhari (right), receiving a book from the former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Sir Shridath Ramphal, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, last Monday

The Senate yesterday announced the receipt of a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari, requesting the confirmation of Service Chiefs, recently appointed by him.
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, read the letter at plenary as the Red Chamber resumed after five weeks recess.
Saraki said that the letter for confirmation of the appointments was in accordance with  Section18 (1) of the Armed Forces Act, 2004.
It would be recalled that the President on July 13 announced the appointment of new Service Chiefs for the nation’s Armed Forces.
They are Maj-Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj-Gen. Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff and Rear Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff.
Air Vice-Marshal Sadique Abubakar is new Chief of Air Staff while Air Vice-Marshal Monday Morgan is Chief of Defence Intelligence.
The President also appointed retired Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno as National Security Adviser.
Meanwhile, Senators yesterday  unanimously passed a vote of confidence on President of the Senate,  Bukola Saraki and Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu.
The vote was sequel to a motion by Sen. Samuel Anyanwu (APC Imo East), who called for an expression of confidence on the leadership of the Red Chamber.
The motion was supported by 80 members, who also passed a vote of confidence on other principal officers of the Senate.
The Senate condemned what it described as “continued harassment’’ of its members, their spouses and the National Assembly management by security agencies.
Moving the motion, Anyanwu said that the Senate was determined to perform its constitutional duties without fear and would focus on matters that affected ordinary Nigerians.
He said that there had been sustained interference in the internal affairs of the Senate by detractors and media propaganda against the upper chamber by some selfish politicians.
“ I move that the Senate resolves to pass a vote of confidence on the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu and the entire Senate leadership as presently constituted.
“To call on the Nigerian Police Force and all other security agencies in Nigeria not to allow themselves to be used by any person to harass, intimidate or blackmail the Senate, senators or their spouses,” he said.
Reacting to the development, Deputy Leader of the Senate, Ibn Na’Allah, on behalf of the leadership, thanked the senators for the confidence reposed in them, and pledged to provide purposeful leadership to the nation.
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the Senate yesterday in Abuja, announced the appointment of Sen. Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom North-West) as the Minority Leader in the Red chamber.
Making the announcement, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, also announced the appointment of Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP Taraba South) as Deputy Minority Leader.
Other appointees of the PDP are Sen. Phillip Aduda (PDP FCT), Minority Whip and Sen. Biodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South), Deputy Minority Whip.
But, Sen. Kabir Marafa (APC Zamfara Central) immediately challenged the appointments, saying that they violated the senate’s rules on ranking.
Marafa, who particularly challenged the appointment of Sen. Godswill Akpabio who is a first-time senator as Minority Leader, urged that the appointment should be declared null and void.
Citing Order 13(2) of the 2015 Senate Standing Rules, he argued that a ranking senator was supposed to have occupied the position given to Akpabio.
However, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekwerenmadu, insisted that the appointment of the officers was PDP’s affair and not the business of Marafa, who is an APC member.
He clarified that the rule on ranking only stipulates that ranking senators should be considered first before other non-ranking senators, stressing that the constitution allows any senator to occupy any position.
“If the ranking senator cannot take the position for any reason, then the next level of ranking senators can be considered,” he said.
At that point, Saraki ruled Marafa out of order, saying that the PDP senators were not complaining and as such, urged Marafa to “stop crying more than the bereaved’’.
In a similar vein, the Senate has commenced the constitution of its Standing Committees to enable it to carry out its functions effectively.
Announcing the commencement of the exercise, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said at plenary yesterday that forms would be distributed to senators to indicate interest in committees they would serve.
Saraki said that each lawmaker was at liberty to belong to more than one committee, adding that they were free to also make suggestions after studying the forms.
“Senators are advised to fill the forms indicating their interest in belonging to the committees of their choice and it is a maximum of five committees per senator.
“The forms will be distributed by the Clerk. You can also take a look at the form and make your submissions to the leader of the senate,’’ he said.
The  rules guiding activities of the committees are contained in the Senate Standing Orders 2015, as Amended.
Order 2(a) (ii) for instance, stipulates that the rules governing the procedures of the committee shall not be inconsistent with the rules of the Senate.