National Assembly Roundup: Tinubu’s request for ministerial screening, drug allegations against senator, other top stories from Senate

Senate probes drug allegations against its deputy leader

The Senate commenced plenary last Tuesday by visiting the grave allegation by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) that its Deputy Leader, Oyelola Ashiru, was harbouring hard drug dealers and promoting use of the substances.

On Monday, the anti-drug agency claimed it found hard drugs and other illicit substances when it raided the Ilorin, Kwara State home of Mr Ashiru in February.

During the plenary, Mr Ashiru who represents Kwara South told his colleagues that the accusations were false because he does not consume hard drugs and cannot differentiate cannabis from other illicit hard substances.

Consequently, the Senate constituted a six-member ad hoc committee, chaired by Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South) to investigate the NDLEA’s allegation against Mr Ashiru.

Kwara South Senator, Oyelola Ashiru [PHOTO CREDIT: @ArcLolaAshiru]

The committee has one week to submit its report. However, some have questioned the intevention, likening it to a judge sitting on his own case.

Senate set for out-of-school summit

The menace of out-of-school children in Nigeria caught the Senate’s attention during the week.

The upper chamber on Wednesday considered the report of its Committee on Education ( Basic and Secondary) on Nigeria’s out-of-school children whose figure hovers around 20 million.

At the end of the debate, it resolved to organise a national summit on the matter.

The summit, the Senate said, would involve the presidency, senators, state governors, local government chairpersons, councillors and civil society organisations.

Meanwhile, while it was deliberating on the report, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, warned that out-of-school children may transform to bandits, if the government failed to return them to the classrooms.

Mr Akpabio also expressed fears that the children may attack politicians and their children if they are not returned to the classrooms.

Tinubu’s request for new ministers’ confirmation

On Thursday, Mr Akpabio read a letter from President Bola Tinubu requesting screening and confirmation of seven nominees for ministerial appointments.

The nominees are Nentawe Yilwatda, Muhammadu Dingyadi, Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu, Jumoke Oduwole, Idi Maiha, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, Suwaiba Ahmad.

President Tinubu, in his letter to the lawmakers, urged them to consider the screening and confirmation expeditiously.

After reading the letter, Mr Akpabio referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for consideration.

More money for development commissions

Also on Thursday, the Senate amended the bills establishing various regional development commissions to allow them receive 15 per cent from the statutory allocations of state governments to fund and manage their affairs.

The amendment was a concurrence bill seeking to amend the legislation that established the North-west Development Commission (NWDC), South-east Development Commission (SEDC) and South-south Development Commission (SSDC).

The upper chamber passed the amendments bill after considering the report of its Committee on Special Duties, presented by its chairman, Kaka Shehu.

The Committee of the Whole considered the bill clause by clause.

Other regional commissions would also receive the same funds after they are established.