Last Wednesday, Nigeria’s upper parliament became a grammar class where semantics, syntax and structure are examined. His Excellency, the Senate President of Nigeria, Godswill Obot Akpabio, suddenly became an emergency interpreter and lexicographer. Akpabio’s interpreter’s dilemma reminds me of Field Marshal Gerald Templer. A senior British Army officer, Templer was best known for the implementation of strategies that heavily contributed …

The Senate on Thursday passed for a second reading, a bill to reform the insurance sector in Nigeria through passage of bill to that effect for second reading. The bill sponsored by its Chairman, Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (APC Lagos East), seeks an Act to repeal the Insurance Act, Cap117 2004, the Marine …

Senators unanimously voted on Thursday to reject a bill seeking to establish the South-South Development Commission. The lawmakers after an extensive deliberation on the bill stood it down following stiff opposition from northern senators. Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, stepped down the bill when he sensed that the mood in the Senate did not support it. The bill which was …

The recent passage of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) Establishment bill into law by the Nigerian Senate has garnered public praise, and commendation for its potential to significantly enhance socio-economic development in the region. The North Central People’s Forum (NCPF), expressed satisfaction with the passage of the bill, describing it as a highly laudable landmark. NCPF stated that the …

The age-long wish of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), to have an exclusive pension board like the military got a boost on Thursday in the Senate with the passage of a bill to that effect for second reading. The passage of the bill titled “Police Pension Board (Establishment) Bill” by the Senate for a second reading was sequel to the …

A bill to allow Nigerians living abroad to obtain the National Identity Number (NIN) passed the second reading at the Senate on Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, was first read on 5 June. It seeks to repeal the National Identity Management Commission Act 2007. It provides for the establishment of a National Identity …

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has said the Senate will approve the proposal for the purchase of a new presidential jet if President Bola Tinubu requests for it. Akpabio stated this at the plenary today, Thursday. However, he said there was no request for the approval of the purchase of a presidential jet before the Senate. Akpabio said: “We care about …

The Senate has extended the life cycle of the 2023 supplementary budget from 30 June to 31 December 2024. The upper chamber of the National Assembly on Thursday suspended all its rules and gave an expeditious passage to a bill seeking the extension in less than 20 minutes. Earlier before the passage of the bill, the lawmakers went into a …

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said on Tuesday, that the Senate had not approved the purchase of new presidential jets for the use of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. He described as malicious a report quoting him to have said the National Assembly would approve the purchase of new aircraft for the President and Vice President, irrespective …

The Senate has said President Bola Tinubu will send the 2024 Supplementary budget to the legislators for approval after resumption. The Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, informed The PUNCH that the N6.6 trillion supplementary budget, although still being computed by the executive, would be sent to the National Assembly after its 2 July resumption. He said, “The budget would be sent …