The Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday declared that oil theft will no longer be an acceptable part of Nigeria’s oil business.
This is even as the Senate also announced the principal officers of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Saraki reminded elected public office holders that they cannot afford to frolic, as Nigerians did not give them their mandate to pursue leadership, but to pursue governance, and bring solutions to their burning issues.
In his welcome speech, after a five-week recess, Saraki observed that Nigeria’s revenue profile has taken a great hit with the present economic realities.
“Aside the drop in the oil receipt, we have seen revenues plummet due to oil thefts, indiscriminate grants of numerous import duty waivers, concessions and grants. Nigerians want to see the National Assembly tackle these obscenities in our revenue systems, as it denies our people the right to good governance.
“Distinguished colleagues, our country is passing through a difficult time. We cannot afford to watch the mind boggling leakages in our oil receipt to go on. This Senate is in tandem with Mr. President (Muhammadu Buhari) on this, and is determined to turn every stone and shift every rock to ensure that all revenues due to the country from oil are recovered. We are not the only oil producing country in the world; oil theft cannot, therefore, become an acceptable part of our oil business.
“Furthermore, Nigerians are tired of the inadequacies in the power sector and want to see a reinvigorated power sector (that is) capable of delivering enough energy to power the new Nigerian economy. Our people dream to see a more open economy. They want to see legislative instruments that will help to open and stimulate private sector investment in infrastructure development, and enhance the ease of doing business in the country,” he declared.
Saraki expressed sadness on the resurgence in the activities of Boko Haram and some other criminal elements in the country, which led to the death of many of Nigerians.
Saraki, who claimed that the aim of the militant groups is to test Nigeria’s resolve and disintegrate her unity, urged the international community to join in the collective resolve to win the fight against the Islamist sect.
“We cannot continue to let senseless groups cause untimely death to our citizens without hindrance. This is another sad addition to the cocktail of security challenges we can ill-afford at this time.
“In the coming days, I will constitute a high powered Senate delegation to visit our troops on the battle line and some of our internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the North-East to have a firsthand appreciation of the challenges, the suffering and plight that (have) befallen our people in the area. Soon afterwards, we shall, working together with the House (of Representatives), develop concrete steps towards the rehabilitation and renewal of the battered local economy of the North-East.
“Make no mistake about it, the aim of these militant groups is simple, to test our resolve and disintegrate our unity. But let me reiterate the readiness and willingness of the National Assembly to support and work with President Muhammadu Buhari to comprehensively rout Boko Haram. We join Mr. President in saying: ‘that we will defeat terrorism in our country and region because we have the will to win this fight.’ Our resolve is collective, we urge all friends of Nigeria, including the United States and the entire international community to join us,” he appealed.
He reminded elected public officers that Nigerians did not elect them to pursue leadership, added that the job of changing Nigeria’s corporate destiny has already started, despite the huge challenges.
“Their mandate was for us to pursue governance and bring solutions to their burning issues. It is time we remind ourselves of the solemn promise to deliver to our people real change. Leadership is secondary to our primary responsibility of good governance.
“As Senate President, you have given me responsibility to ensure that our primary responsibility is placed on the table, not under the table. Nigerians did not put their lives on the line for politics, but for the delivery of good governance.
“My distinguished colleagues, the job of changing our corporate destiny starts today. Though the challenges are huge, they are not insurmountable. Let (these) challenges inspire us as leaders to show courage, statesmanship and valour. We have taken the right first steps out. We must now set out at dawn. We do not have all the time; indeed, our clock is ticking,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Senate President has announced the officers of the minority PDP in the Upper Chamber.
The quartet of minority principal officers were led by the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who was named as the Senate Minority Leader.
Others are: Senator Emmanuel Bwacha from Taraba State as the Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the Senate Minority Whip and Senator Biodun Olujimi from Ekiti State as the Deputy Minority Whip.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed strong support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to probe the immediate pastfederal government, saying the revelations of mind-boggling corruption that are just beginning to emerge have made such a probe imperative.
”Some people have insinuated that the Buhari Administration should ignore the massive looting of our patrimony and move on. We say noresponsible government can afford to do that, because it will amount to endorsing corruption and impunity,” the party said in a statementissued in Abuja on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
It said in the oil sector alone, billions of dollars have been skimmed off by pathologically-corrupt public officials, wondering how thegovernment of the day can meet its obligations to the citizens if it refuses to recover the huge funds taken away by thieving officials
”It is an irony that those who are suggesting that the Buhari Administration should turn a blind eye to the incomprehensible looting are the same ones accusing the government of not doing anything. It is even a cruel irony that the same party that presided over what is fastemerging as the worst governance in the history of our country is the same one that is daily bad-mouthing an Administration that is cleaningup its mess,” APC said.
The party said even if all the acts of corruption that were perpetrated during the tenure of the last Administration are limited to what is now in the public domain, it is still absolutely exigent for the Buhari Administration to do all it can to bring the
perpetrators to book and recover the looted funds.
”Where does one start from? Is it the fact that the NNPC failed to remit 3.8 trillion Naira to the Federation Account or the mind-blowingstealing of 250,000 barrels of crude oil per day? Is it the fact that the NNPC itself does not know how many bank accounts it had or into which ones the payments for Nigerian crude are made? Could anyone have imagined that a government minister would steal the
unprecedentedly-huge amount of 6 billion US dollars of public funds as being alleged?
”How does any sane person rationalize the fact that 1 billion dollars was unilaterally and illegally withdrawn from the Excess Crude Accountjust because, as the immediate past Minister of Finance has disclosed, the President ordered the withdrawal? What about the billions of Nairawaivers recklessly approved to dubious importers by the Jonathan administration?
”Is it not clear now that the stealing and the profligacy – more than anything else, including the fall in oil price – helped to drastically reduce the monthly allocation from the Federation Account from about 800 billion Naira to about 400 billion Naira, thus pauperizing the states and the local governments, and by extension the citizenry?
”Against the background of the stunning revelations, what message will any government be sending to its citizens and indeed the globalcommunity by looking the other way, when it could still recover some of the looted funds for the benefit of the people? This is why we aresupporting the Buhari Administration’s probe decision, and calling on all Nigerians to support ongoing efforts to get to the root of the matter,” it said.
APC said it is now clear that the Jonathan Administration cleverly delayed giving the then incoming Buhari government the handover note so as to avoid being asked critical questions pertaining to the unprecedented looting under its watch.
The U.S. Government on Wednesday expressed concern over missing Gambian radio journalist Alagie Ceesay.
“The U.S. remains deeply concerned about the whereabouts of Gambian radio journalist Alagie Ceesay.
“Ceesay disappeared on July 17, days after being released from a two-week long period of arbitrary detention, during which he was reportedly tortured.
“We urge the Government of Gambia to promptly locate Mr. Ceesay, return him to his family and loved ones, and investigate the circumstances of his previous abduction and detention.
“Gambia should hold accountable any individuals found to be responsible for violating Mr. Ceesay’s rights,’’ the U.S. Government said in a statement.
The U.S. expressed its support for freedom of expression and the rule of law.
“It takes very seriously other reports of abusive conduct by Gambian security forces.’’
The statement pointed out that the U.S. noted Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s decision to pardon and release no fewer than 200 prisoners.
It also welcomed, in particular, Jammeh’s decision to release, after a lengthy period of detention without charge, family members of the 30 December 2014 coup plotters.
“We call on The Gambia to respect its human rights obligations and to release all other prisoners currently being held without charge for longer than the 72-hour period established by the Constitution,’’ the statement added.
Major roads in Asaba, the Delta State capital, have been taken over by the recurrent flood that ravaged the city since the heavy downpour which began at the weekend. Vehicle users, tricycle riders and pedestrians have been groaning as the flood has remained a perennial challenge in the state capital.
The major roads which include Jesus Saves Road, Direct Labour Agency (DLA) Road, Leo Okogwu Road, Agric Road, Okpanam Road, Junior Staff Quarters area and many others have been taken over by flood, which on many occasions, cut away portions of the city from others, hence leaving residents in the area wailing while some rain curses on the immediate past Governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.
DLA Road which is one of the worst hit and one of the major roads in the city, was said to have been awarded on several occasions to some prominent sons of the community but has remained abandoned leading to residents in the area paying through their nose to access their homes in the flood.
The road is heavily loaded with potholes, which some say, could lead to premature labour for a pregnant woman as the tricycle or car navigates through the bumpy potholes in the area. The bumpy nature of the road occasioned by the large potholes has never left tricycle passengers pouring venom on Uduaghan for his neglect of the roads all through his 8 years of sojourn in Delta Government House.
Hence, at the mention of DLA Road to tricycle riders, they frown as many say the bumpy nature of the road has grave impact on the durability of the tricycle. Truly, as the tricycles ride through the road, passengers feel the impact and many shout as the tricycle gallop and throw the passengers who struggle to hold themselves together.
As the rains pour and the floods flow, the road gets badly excavated and on most occasions, the tricycle bumps into the potholes as the entire area is covered with muddy water. It is really a painful sight as DLA Road is one of the roads to be reckoned with in the city of Asaba.
Various sections of the road have broken into bits following the impact of vehicles and the poor quality of repair carried out on the road by Deux, a contracting firm which was employed by the immediate past government of Emmanuel Uduaghan to work on the road.
It is presently an eyesore for newcomers who have lived in cities like Enugu, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Ilorin and others judging from the huge allocation from the federation account to the state and the much billions being generated as internal revenue from companies operating in Delta State.
The road depicts a major failure in the administration of former Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, as many believed he tactically abandoned the state capital because many of the civil servants who reside in the state capital did not support his second term bid in 2011 to become governor of the state.
This is why during his tenure as Governor, he, his Secretary to the State Government, Ovuozorie Macaulay and Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, had continuously told journalists that all roads in Asaba had been awarded to contractors and would all be completed before he leaves office on May 29, 2015, but it was all a deception.
Also, the road leading to Okpanam, a neighbouring community to Asaba, is another eyesore to whosoever cares. Since Uduaghan emerged Governor of the state, Deltans resident in the area had consistently called on the Uduaghan’s government to look into the plight of the people residing in the area but he never did, though he gave various promises which he never kept.
Any time it rains, anyone caught on the way would have a lot of stories to tell as his experience would be extremely painful for him to bear. The quantum of flood that ravages the area cannot be quantified with the best of human language. The weight of water and the length of area it covers is unimaginable. The painful aspect of it is that the damage road is directing the state House of Assembly complex and the quarters where the members are housed. One can now imagine how they navigate their way either to the chamber or back to their residence.
All over the city of Asaba, the story is the same. Most residential areas are cut off during the raining season. Most of the buildings get submerged and dwellers begin to lament their plight. While they cry and weep, the rains pour but many express optimism that the new government would attend to the plight of the city with the new agency which it has established, Asaba Capital Development Agency. But there is still fear that for the roads to be fully attended to, many buildings standing on the right of way might be pulled down.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday interrogated Mrs Toyin Saraki, wife of the Senate President for about six hours over alleged corruption.
Saraki was invited by the Commission for questioning over alleged shady contracts during her husband’s tenure as governor of Kwara between 2003 and 2011.
The invitation was in relation to alleged contracts executed by companies said to be linked to her while her husband was Kwara governor.
Mr Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesman of the EFCC confirmed the interrogation of the former Kwara first lady at the Headquarters of the Commission in Abuja.
Uwujaren said “Mrs Saraki was in our office for questioning following an earlier invitation sent to her over allegation of corruption.
“I cannot speak further on the issue because I am currently not in the office and don’t have further details on the questioning.’’
The former first lady in a statement issued by her NGO, Well Being Foundation, after her interrogation, pledged to support and cooperate with the EFCC in ensuring credible investigation into the allegation.
The statement said Saraki had surrendered herself to the EFCC in line with her believe in transparency and accountability.
…allegedly refuses to return $50m belonging to ex-First Lady
The immediate past Special Assistant on Domestic Matters to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Waripamowei Dudafa, has stuck a deadly dagger in the spine of his godparents and benefactors, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, as he was seen bad-mouthing his former boss and his wife, describing them as “selfish and wicked”
The former aide, whom a source said was sited speaking to a mutual friend at Heathrow airport over the weekend, said in his bid to put down his former principals, he (Dudafa) did not hesitate to cast morality and decency to the winds to enact lethal deeds of treachery and deceit against the person of the former President and his wife, one couple that has been variously regarded as the architect and progenitor of his political and economic fortune.
To the consternation of this mutual friend, the former aide chose to cast aspersion on his boss and benefactors because, according to him, they failed to live up to their promise of making him governor after all the ‘dirty’ jobs they made him do for them, he said.
The source, said the mutual friend who later reported his encounter with another mutual friend, said the former domestic aide possess no moral or legal rights to perpetrate such treachery against the former first family who, he said was solely responsible for Dudafa’s political rise and relevance even against all odds.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed report says the real reason behind the frosty relations between the former presidential domestic aide and his boss, particularly the former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has to do with the refusal by the former aide to return the sum of fifty million dollars in his possession belonging to the first lady.
When the mutual friend confronted the former aide with the report of his alleged refusal to release the money in his possession, he (Dudafa) was quoted to have said: “The money was given to me to fund my governorship campaign. They specifically told me to use the money to fund my governorship campaign”.
The Senate on Tuesday received a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari, requesting it to confirm the newly appointed service chiefs.
The letter, which was read on the floor of the Upper Chamber by the Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, was in accordance with the provisions of Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, 2004.
It would be recalled that Buhari had, on the 13th day of this month (July), appointed Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin as the Chief of Defence Staff and Major-General Tukur Buratai as the Chief of Army Staff.
He also appointed Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as the Chief of Naval Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar as the Chief of Air Staff and Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan as the Chief of Defence Intelligence.
Buhari had also appointed Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd.) as the National Security Adviser (NSA).
Confirmation of appointments of the service chiefs may be done by the entire Senate on Wednesday since there are no relevant Senate standing committees yet for that purpose at committee level.
Also on Tuesday, the process of setting up the 57 Senate’s standing committees was put in motion with the announcement from Saraki that each of the 98 other senators, excluding the 10 principal officers, should fill forms already forwarded to them, to indicate five committees their qualifications, professions and experiences tally with.
Saraki told them to submit the forms to the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, not later than next week Tuesday.
…Asks Police, security agencies to keep off NASS, Senators
It was a shocker and anti-climax for Senators of the Senate Unity Forum faction of the All progressives Congress, APC, upon resumption of plenary by the Senate on Tuesday as 81Senators passed a Vote of Confidence on the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
The resolution followed a motion entitled “Vote of Confidence on Principal Officers of the Senate” moved on behalf of 81 Senators across party lines by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East) and seconded by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West).
In a unanimous resolution, the Senate also called on the Nigeria Police Force and all other security agencies to stop lending themselves as agents of harassment and intimidation against Senators and their spouses.
According to the motion, the Senate: “Notes with dismay the continued harassment of the Senate and Senators, the National Assembly Management, and spouses of Senators by security agencies of Government.
“Determined to continue to perform its constitutional duties and responsibilities without fear of favour.
“Further determined to focus on matters of interest and importance to the ordinary people of Nigeria in view of the enormous challenges facing the nation.
“Considering the sustained interference in the internal affairs of the Senate by detractors and media propaganda against the Senate and Senators by selfish politicians”.
Therefore, the Senate resolved to: “Pass a vote of confidence on (a) The President of the senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, (b) The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, (c) The entire Senate leadership as presently constituted” and “call on the Nigeria Police Force and all other security agencies in Nigeria not to allow themselves to be used by any person or persons to harass, intimidate or blackmail the Senate, Senators, and or their spouses”.
The Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has just announced the endorsement of Senator Godswill Akpabio (immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State) as the Senate Minority Leader, following his endorsement by the PDP caucus.
* Accuses Political Office Holders Of Revenue Drain * Rejects Subsidy Removal
Oscar Chukwugekwu, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday hinted that it would soon submit a New Minimum Wage demand to the National Assembly for negotiations.
Nigerian workers are currently placed on a monthly minimum wage of N18,000.
But the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who was on a courtesy visit to the Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, argued that the purchasing power of the ordinary Nigerian wage earner is grossly devalued as a result of the devaluation of the Naira.
He reminded Saraki that the Act is due for review.
“The last Minimum Wage Act was promulgated by the National Assembly in 2011. As we also indicated in this year’s May Day address, the five-year circle, during which the National Minimum Wage is due for review, is here.
“In addition, the devaluation of the Naira from N150 to $1, to about N242 to $1, today underscores the grim situation for salary earners in the country against the fact that our economy is import-driven. The devaluation, in simple economic terms, means that the purchasing power of the ordinary Nigerian wage earner is grossly devalued.
“As a result of this grim economic reality, Your Excellency, Congress will soon submit a New Minimum Wage demand, which we hope will be negotiated by the traditional tripartite negotiating team of government, employers and organised labour. Our hope is that when the end product of the negotiation is brought before the National Assembly for legislation, it would be treated with dispatch,” he added.
Wabba observed that the crisis of unemployment in the country is a reflection of the scale of the economic decay, and urged the leadership of the 8th Assembly to play a role in ensuring that the required legislations are put in place to provide the enabling environment for job creation in both the public and private sectors of our economy.
“As we had stated during this year’s May Day, there is hardly any household in this country, where there isn’t at least one long time unemployed graduate. Some estimates put youth unemployment at over 50 million,” he said.
He accused the Nigerian political office holders and President Muhammadu Buhari of being the big drain on Nigeria’s revenue.
Wabba, who spoke on the high cost of governance, observed that the combined earning of each member of the Senate and House of Representatives is 100 times more than what a graduate on Grade Level 8 Step 15 earns annually.
He also took the National Assembly to task on the agitations of Nigerians on the monumental earnings of the legislators in the midst of abject poverty.
Wabba further pointed out that both Buhari and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, have not done any spectacular thing by reducing their salaries by 50 percent, as they do not depend on their salaries and allowances for their upkeep.
“Information available to us indicate that as far back as 2009, the RMAFC (Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission) put the salaries and allowances of ‘certain political, public and judicial office holders’ numbering 17,474 at N1.126 trillion annually. This indicates that the earnings of political office holders were such a big drain on the revenue of the country and were clearly unsustainable. The level of financial expenditure were such that a Senator and a Representative earn more than 100 times what a graduate on grade level 8, step 15 earns annually. The ratio, when compared to what a level 17, step 9 officer in the federal civil service earns annually, was more than 20 times.
“Your Excellency, you need not to be told that we are again back to poor revenue from our main source of foreign exchange – crude oil. This, combined with the excesses of our political elite in the mismanagement of our national resources, has once again called to question the issue of the high cost of governance in the country.
“In response to this, some state governors have reduced their salaries by 50 percent, and the President and Vice President recently joined by ordering that their salaries should also be reduced by 50 percent. The National Assembly has also acted by reducing its annual budget from N150 billion to N115 billion as symbolic gesture that our legislators are in tune with our austere times.
“Your Excellency, Nigerians generally do not believe that these gestures from the two arms of government are far reaching enough to address the question of high cost of governance in the land. For the President, the Vice President and the governors, the point had been rightly made that they do not depend on their salaries and allowances for their upkeep anyway, as the state provides for them 100 percent: therefore, even if they part with 95 percent of their entitlements, it will not affect them in any material way.
“Secondly, as the Governor of Ebonyi State recently argued, the salaries of key government officers are not necessarily the only source of the wastage and high cost of governance in the country.
“For the legislature, Your Excellency, Nigerians are concerned and wants explanations on how the National Assembly budget, which in 2003 was N23.347 billion, rose to N66.488 billion in 2007, and then climbed to N104.825 billion in 2008. In 2010, Your Excellency, under the watch of your predecessor, the budget of the National Assembly reached an all time record jump to N154.2 billion,” Wabba said.
Wabba, who rejected the call for subsidy removal, observed that there has been a renewed, orchestrated and well-oiled campaign for the removal of fuel subsidy, which is otherwise dressed in the toga of deregulation of the downstream of the petroleum sector since the emergence of Buhari as the President.
“We have resisted joining the debate in this rehashed campaign because we belief that the new President knows far more than many of those advising him to remove fuel subsidy, having served as the Petroleum Minister himself, and was involved in the establishment of two of our four refineries. His comments on the issue also show that he is not likely to be easily hoodwinked into taking any rash and undigested decision on this,” he said.
In his response, Saraki challenged the Nigerian workers to play their part in the war against corruption to which the present administration in the country has committed itself.
Saraki assured that the 8th Senate is ready to work for Nigerians, despite the erroneous impression being currently propagated by some persons outside the Senate.
He observed that it is time for workers to help the government succeed in decisively and successfully tackling the corruption menace once and for all.
He noted that while the Senate has interacted with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), it also intends to engage the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to look at the areas, where the National Assembly can assist to ensure that the fight against corruption is efficiently prosecuted with positive results that will be glaring for to see.
Saraki said past excuses will no longer be tolerated since the country now has the right leadership with avowed political will to fight corruption.
“We in the 8th Senate have said there will be zero tolerance for the issue of corruption. Corruption is one issue slowing down development and some of the problems we are embarking on – whether you talk about our refineries not working, you talk of the issue of fuel subsidy, you talk about the high cost of governance, everything you talked about comes back to this issue of corruption and I think it is time for all of us, those of us in the National Assembly, the executive and the workers to show serious commitment.
“This should not be a headline-grabbing approach because at the end of the day, you are workers, when you talk about oil theft, we have Nigerian workers at the terminals who surely must know when this thing is going on. Every where that there is corruption, some workers are there either participating or observing. We now have a great opportunity to win the war against corruption because we have a leadership led by President Muhammadu Buhari that we believe has the political will to do the right thing,” he said.
He added that people use to give excuses that when they blow the whistle on corrupt practices nothing was done because the system is corrupt right from the top but that such excuse was no longer tenable.
“We are assuring you that at the executive side, we have elected the President that will do it well. I am making the commitment on behalf of the National Assembly and myself that we are committed to fighting corruption. If you remember, I was the one that single-handedly in 2011 opened the lid on the fuel subsidy scam that everybody is talking about now.
“But at the end of the day, who are those people working in these places. They are Nigerian workers. They are not workers from anywhere else. So, I think I will also throw the challenge, now that we are getting the message that the political leadership is ready to take on this thing called corruption. I think we need the cooperation of our workers, who know it all. They see it happen and when you look at the anti-corruption agencies, with all due respect, you will find out that 80 percent of some of the cases are cases at the state level.
“You hardly see where people who are the real engine room, which is the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), or where most of these corruption cases on oil are being put on trial,” he said.
Saraki said that the internal challenges confronting the 8th Senate are being addressed and would be resolved soon and that the Senate, under his leadership, would not abandon its constitutional mandate on the altar of personal ambitions.
“You talked about the internal challenges that the NLC leadership is facing. I think I want to say the challenges are similar to ours. People contested elections, some will win and of course, some will lose but at the end of the day we all win when we all leave our personal interest and look at the interest of Nigeria. I want to assure you and Nigerians, we in the Senate are ready to work for you. We are committed to the work we are elected to do. I think there are more of the noise outside the Senate than in the Senate. We are committed and we want our actions and our words to speak for us,” he said.
He said that the Senate leadership would continue to toe the path of dialogue to resolve all challenges.
