Senate probes invasion of A’Ibom Assembly

…Okays 9 new federal institutions, Olukorede as EFCC Secretary
The Senate Committee on Police Affairs headed by Senator Tijjani Kaura (APC Zamfara North) was on Wednesday mandated by the upper Chamber to urgently investigate the alleged invasion of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly by suspected thugs on Tuesday and report back within 48 hours.

The probe, it was resolved, will assist the Senate in taking position over what was described as meddlesomeness of security agencies in the political crisis rocking the state legislature.

This was consequent upon the report of the alleged invasion presented to the Senate by Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, PDP, Akwa Ibom North East, who alleged that suspected thugs invaded and disrupted activities at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on Tuesday.

Akpan, who claimed to have personally witnessed the alleged invasion when he visited the Assembly complex in the company of the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, said the alleged invaders were led by a top police officer in the state

while he specifically accused the state Commissioner of Police, Musa Kimo, of leading and taking side with the invaders to truncate democracy in the state.

He also accused the police commissioner of taking side with the minority All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the state to cause break down of law and order.

In his contribution, Senator Jibrin Barau, (APC, Kano North), who raised a point of Order, Order 53(5), informed the Senate that the issue of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly was in court,

just as he cautioned that the Senate should learn to distance itself from state matters, adding that the Senate should concentrate on national issues and leave state matters for the states.

He said: “We are tired of this issue of Akwa Ibom.”

Barau’s position however did not go down well with some senators, even as they made moves to shout him down and tempers began to rise.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at this point then intervened and insisted that the Senate should be interested wherever democracy was under threat.

Saraki said: “We were all here when this chamber was invaded. We cannot tolerate the invasion of the hallowed chamber of any legislative house.

It is completely unacceptable. The Police Affairs committee should find out what happened and report back to the Senate within 48 hours.”

Meanwhile, the establishment of nine new federal universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education got the nod of the Senate on Wednesday after the upper Chamber passed third reading of bills sponsored by different senators for their establishment.

The passage of the nine bills was sequel to recommendations made to that effect in a cumulative reports presented by the Chairman Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, Senator Jubril Barau (APC Kano North).

The institutions include the Federal University of Education Aguleri, Federal University of Technology Manchok in Kaduna State, Federal Polytechnic, Daura in Katsina State and Federal Polytechnic Ikom in Cross Rivers State.

Others are Federal Polytechnic Langtang in Plateau State, Federal Polytechnic Kabo in Kano State and National Institute of Construction Technology and Management.

Federal Colleges of Education established through passage of the bills are Federal College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu and Federal College of Education Usugbenu- Irrua in Edo State.

In remarks after the passage of the bills, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, said assenting to them by President Muhammadu Buhari would go a long way in making education acquisition centres available for the teeming millions of school age Nigerians seeking for self-discovery knowledge.

He added that approval of the federal schools would further register required federal presence in the affected communities with attendant positive multiplier effects.

Also, the Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Mr. Olanipekun Olukorede as Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) despite protests from two PDP lawmakers.

Recall that the Senate had on Tuesday suspended Olukorede’s confirmation till Wednesday following a complaint by a member of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Hamma Misau, that the committee did not follow due process in submitting its report.

However, the report of the Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes was adopted on Wednesday at plenary.

The approval witnessed a mild drama when two members of the committee – Isah Misau and Dino Melaye, accused the committee chairman, Chukwuka Utazi, of running a one-man show.

Although three Principal Officers: Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan insisted that the committee’s report be considered since the panel formed a quorum,

the two senators argued that this was against the resolution of the upper legislative body on Tuesday, which asked the panel chairman to meet his members and resolve the issues.

Utazi, who is also a PDP legislator, explained that the two committee members refused to endorse the committee’s report.

But efforts by the two lawmakers to stop the Senate from proceeding on Committee of the Whole to consider the committee’s report, proved abortive, as lawmakers confirmed his appointment.