It’s a new legislative day in the Nigerian Senate.
Senate President Bukola Saraki leads the Senate Leadership into the Chambers.
Senate President Bukola Saraki takes the Official Prayer.
Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena calls the Senate to Order.
Senator Jide Omoworare moves for the approval of the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday 27th October, 2016. Senator Danjuma Goje seconds.
Senate President Bukola Saraki reads a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari on appointment of the MD of the NDIC.
Senate President Bukola Saraki also announces membership of Conference Committees for some bills.
Senator Sonni Ogbuoji lays a petition from his constituency on unlawful disengagement.
Senator David Umaru also lays two petitions from his constituents over unlawful dismissals.
The Petitions are referred to the Ethics PPP Committee for further legislative action.
Senate Leader moves to the presentation of several 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill 2016.
The Constitution Amendment Bills are referred to the Senate Constitutional Amendment Committee for further legislative work.
Senate moves for the presentation of the report of the INEC Committee on the INEC Nigeria Act (Amendment) Bill 2016 SB. 231 & 234.
Senator Abubakar Kyari lays the report of the INEC Committee.
Senate moves to the Executive Communication; Senate Leader moves to the 2016 – 2018 External Borrowing Rolling Plan.
Senate President Bukola Saraki puts the question & Senate votes NAY to the request of President Buhari on 2016 External Borrowing Plan
Senate approves the confirmation of nomination of Mr. Igo Weli by President Buhari as Representative of Oil Companies in the NDDC Board.
The confirmation of Mr. Igo Weli is referred to the Senate Niger Delta Committee for further legislative action.
Senate moves to the confirmation of the nomination of 46 Non-Career Ambassador Designates by President Buhari.
Senate President puts the question and refers the confirmation of the 46 Non-Career Ambassador Nominees to the Foreign Affairs Committee
Senator Phillip Aduda raises a Point of Order on the Exclusion of the FCT from having either a Career or Non-Career Ambassadorial Nominee.
Senate President Bukola Saraki says the Foreign Affairs Committee will look into the matter in the course of the confirmations.
Senate moves to the motions of the day.
BREAKING: Senate Rejects President Muhammadu Buhari’s $29.6bn External Borrowing Plan.
Senate Leader, Ali Ndume opens the debate on his motion on the need to avoid the mismanagement of the N500Billion Social Intervention Funds.
Senator Ndume notes that the National Assembly fully approved the request of the executive in the 2016 Budget to facilitate the N500B Fund.
Senator Ndume observes that the current economic situation & the need to have a social intervention scheme that can lift people out of poverty, was the overriding concern of the National Assembly when it did not insist on having a proper framework before approval.
Senator Ndume says he expects the social intervention fund should get to all the 9, 572 Wards of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu says he cannot find any beneficiary of the programmes of the Social Intervention Funds in his LG.
DSP Ekweremadu adds that Senate Leader Ali Ndume has done the right thing via this motion to call the attention to it.
Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah says aspects of the implementation of the Social Intervention Funds run afoul of the Constitution.
Senators turn down request for approval for external borrowing due to lack of documents supporting the request as referenced in the letter
Senator Na’Allah asks how the people in the hinterland and localities are supposed to get online to register on the website.
Senator Ndume notes that the concept of MPOWER requiring people to register online is faulty and discriminates against rural dwellers.
Senators Hope Uzodinma and Biodun Olujimi also condemn the implementation as not far – reaching to all nooks and corners of the Country.
Continues…