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Meeting With Buhari: Saraki Fails Senators …Over Ali, Magu’
Strong indications emerged yesterday that the face- off between the Senate and the Presidency may not be over soon, in spite of the meeting President Muhammadu Buhari had with Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, on Monday.
Also yesterday, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof Itse Sagay, asked the Senate to withdraw the resolution summoning him.
The Tide gathered that many senators are peeved that none of the issues responsible for the face-off was discussed at the meeting. The Senate entered a closed session at 11.35 am where salient issues were discussed and the lawmakers came out at 12. 32pm.
Soon after the meeting, Senate President Saraki, who noted that issues affecting the country in general and the Senate in particular were discussed, asked if that was the true reflection of what transpired and his colleagues agreed with him.
However, a source told newsmen that Saraki, while giving a report of the meeting he had with President Buhari, told them that the meeting centred around the quick passage of the 2017 Appropriation Bill and the immediate screening of two ministerial nominees forwarded last week.
Saraki was said to have told the senators that the President at the meeting, pleaded that the legislative arm should put behind it any perceived frosty relationship and pass the budget in the overall interest of the country.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had on December 14, 2016, presented the budget of N7.289 trillion to a joint session of the National Assembly.
It would also be recalled that as part of moves for early passage of the 2017 budget, the Senate had, after three days of robust debate on the general principles of the 2017 Appropriation Bill submitted by President Buhari on Thursday, January 26, suspended plenary for three weeks to enable the committees carry out a holistic work on the budget.
At the executive session yesterday, Saraki told his colleagues that President Buhari also pleaded with them to urgently screen and confirm the two ministerial nominees, Prof. Stephen Ocheni from Kogi State and Suleiman Hassan from Gombe State.
According to the source at the meeting, soon after the Senate President rounded off his briefing, some of the senators got angry.
Their anger was said to have been propelled by the fact that the Senate President did not discuss with the President issues relating to the resolutions reached on Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, who they rejected twice and asked for a fresh nominee, which the President is yet to do and Magu is still acting.
The source added that the senators were not happy that at the parley with Buhari, Saraki failed to raise the resolution of the Senate which asked the President to urgently sack the Comptroller- General of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), who they declared unfit to hold public office.
The senators also expressed annoyance over refusal of the Senate President to raise the issue of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who the Senate had urged the President to caution against interfering with the functions of the National Assembly.
The senators were also said to have been peeved over comments made by the chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, and wondered why the Senate President did not raise the issue with the President.
Consequently, some of the senators, especially those of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stormed out of the chambers with anger boldly written on their faces.
It would be recalled that the Senate had, penultimate Tuesday, suspended for two weeks confirmation hearing on 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners, REC of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, nominated by President Buhari.
According to the senators, the two-week suspension was to enable the Senate President meet President Buhari to discuss issues relating to Ibrahim Magu’s continued stay in office as acting chairman of EFCC, which senators considered an affront to the Senate.
Meanwhile, constituents and supporters of Senator Ali Ndume, yesterday, stormed the National Assembly to register their grievances over last week’s suspension of the senator and gave Senate President Saraki a three-day ultimatum to reverse the decision or face more protests.
The protesters, who started their action around 7:30am when workers were resuming for work, barricaded the main entrance gate to the legislative house, thereby causing human and vehicular traffic snarl on the road leading to the complex.
To prevent some of them from entering the complex, security men took strategic positions while workers were redirected to pass through the entrance gate of the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF.
The protesters, whose action caused inconveniences to workers and early morning visitors, accused Senate President Saraki of masterminding the action against the Borno South senator and asked that the Senate President be removed.
The protesters, who came under different groups, including Internally Displaced Persons, were singing pro-Ndume songs, wielding placards with different inscriptions such as “Ndume again Insha Allah”, who is afraid of Ibrahim Magu?” and ‘’Stop undermining PMB” among others.
A leader of one of the groups, Mr Joseph Okwuama, told newsmen that if the lawmaker was not recalled, they would stage several protests across the Federal Capital Territory for seven days.
Okwuama, National Coordinator, All Progressives Congress Movement, said the suspension of Ndume was uncalled for. He said: “We are talking about corruption in the country.
As Nigerian youths, we have to work together in support of the anti-corruption war. Corruption is not all about money. What the National Assembly did is corruption.
The suspension of Ndume is corruption. Ndume’s suspension did not follow due process.
The man did not do anything. We are giving the National Assembly three days and if they refuse, Nigerians will go to the streets of Abuja and protest for one week.” Muhammad Tanko, leader of indigenes from Borno South, Ndume’s constituency, said the constituency could not afford lack of representation for six months, adding:
“The suspension of our senator for six months by the Senate is illegal when the constitution allows for suspension of only 14 days. Saraki must go.
He knows what Ndume did for him before he became President.” Naima Sale, wife of the Chairman, IDPs in Karama Jiji camp in the Federal Capital Territory, said the lawmaker had been of help to internally displaced persons and should not be made to suffer for nothing.
Senator Ndume was suspended, last Wednesday for asking the Senate to investigate allegations of fake Customs papers and certificate forgery against senators Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West.
However, the Senate,in line with recommendations of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, who was mandated to probe the allegations, cleared the duo and slammed Ndume with a six-month suspension.
Meanwhile, Prof Itse Sagay, asked the Senate to withdraw the resolution summoning him. The Senate had, penultimate week, summoned Sagay over some comments he made castigating some lawmakers.
He averred that though he had not been served with any summons, he deemed it fit to join issues with the Senate over the threatened violation of his fundamental rights to freedom of expression, adding the Senate’s power to conduct enquiries “is not at large.”
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders for the nation to move in the right direction and make meaningful progress.
The Governor stated this yesterday when he received in audience, the World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler; his wife, Andriene Marques Kohler; daughter Mariana Marques Kohler and a retinue of ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara who hailed the Seventh Day Adventist Church for its contributions to education and the grooming of future leaders in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Church had over the years, been investing in education at various levels and currently runs two universities in the country.
He commended the church for not only using its institutions to spread the gospel of Christianity but to groom future leaders for the country.
According to him, religion should not be just about defending one’s faith, but also making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.
He said that by floating these educational institutions, the church has demonstrated capacity to support Nigeria in the task of producing not only educated people but a breed of God-fearing leaders.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line and that is what has brought us to where we are today.
“So, I feel very happy that you are contributing to the development of our future leaders in this country. We need the right people being in the right place; prepared properly with good minds; that is what we need, not just in Nigeria but round the whole world.,” he said.
Governor Fubara further observed that the absence of God-fearing people in high places to take the right decisions that could impact positively on the society, has also given rise to other problems such as social inequality, poverty, corruption and criminality. According to him, Nigeria needs a system where the average parent could afford quality education for their children and a guarantee that upon graduation, the average child will have the capacity to compete favourably with anybody, anywhere in the world.
“If we have a situation where the little money that you’re being paid as wage can also afford you quality healthcare and after working at least for 15-20 years, you have a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in any kind of crime? At that point, you’ll feel secured and this attitude of insecurity about the future that leads to all the social vices we have today won’t be there,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for their prayers for Rivers State, assuring them of his continued support for their programmes in the state.
Leader of the delegation and World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the church during which thousands of the church’s ministers will be undergoing an empowerment programme to further equip them for the task of herding their flocks and serving the society.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his entourage, saying the memory of the visit will linger in his mind for a lifetime.
Kohler disclosed that the Church has over twenty -four million (24,000,000) members and more than 182,000 places of worship, spread across 212 countries of the world.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor
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JUNE 12: Democracy Remains Nigeria’s Strongest Path To Unity, Progress, Says Fubara ….Extols Abiola, Wife
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed that democracy remains the most effective system of government for Nigeria, given the country’s rich diversity of ethnic, religious, and cultural identities.
In a goodwill message to Nigerians on the occasion of the 2026 Democracy Day celebration, Governor Fubara said June 12 represents far more than a historic date; as it embodies the enduring struggle, sacrifice, and collective aspiration of Nigerians for freedom, justice, and representative governance.
The Governor extended warm felicitations to Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, paying tribute to the heroes and heroines of the democratic struggle, particularly Chief MKO Abiola, his wife, Kudirat Abiola, and countless others whose courage and sacrifices helped secure the democratic freedoms Nigerians enjoy today.
According to him, “June 12 is a reminder of the price paid for the democracy we enjoy today. The sacrifices made by Chief MKO Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, and many other patriots who laid the foundation for the democratic journey we continue to enjoy today. Their commitment to the principle that power must ultimately reside with the people remains a source of inspiration for every generation of Nigerians.”
Governor Fubara noted that thirty-three years after the historic June 12, 1993 election, Nigeria’s democratic experiment has continued to evolve despite challenges and setbacks.
“Our democratic journey has not been without difficulties, but the resilience of our institutions and the determination of our people have kept the nation moving forward. The ability to express differing opinions, engage in constructive debate, and peacefully choose leaders through the ballot remains one of the greatest achievements of our nation,” he said.
Governor Fubara stressed that democracy provides the best framework for managing Nigeria’s diversity and transforming it into a source of national strength.
“Nigeria’s diversity should never be seen as a weakness. Properly harnessed, it is our greatest asset. Democracy offers us the opportunity to build consensus, promote inclusion, strengthen national unity, and create the conditions for sustainable development and shared prosperity,” he said.
Governor Fubara commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda and ongoing efforts aimed at economic revitalization, strengthening security, and deepening democratic institutions across the country.
He reiterated the readiness of Rivers State to continue partnering with the Federal Government in advancing policies and programmes that improve the lives of citizens through infrastructure development, job creation, enhanced security, quality education, healthcare delivery, and good governance.
The Governor further called on Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation, ethnic background, or religious belief, to use the occasion of Democracy Day to renew their commitment to the Nigerian project and the ideals that underpin democratic governance.
“Democracy must not be viewed merely as a periodic electoral exercise. It must be reflected in our daily commitment to accountability, transparency, tolerance, justice, respect for the rule of law, and responsible leadership. As citizens and leaders, we all share a collective responsibility to strengthen our democracy and build a nation that future generations will be proud to inherit,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, urging citizens to remain united, hopeful, and committed to the values of peace, dialogue, and national development.
“Together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive, and more prosperous Nigeria where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive and contribute meaningfully to national progress,” he said.