He criticized the timing, saying Nigerians were still reeling from the removal of fuel subsidies.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved a significant 300% increase for Band A consumers, allowing power distribution companies to raise rates from N68 to N225 per kilowatt-hour, effective April 1, 2024.

In a statement on Saturday, Ndume condemned the decision and urged the federal government to reconsider in consideration of the hardships faced by Nigerians.

He highlighted challenges such as soaring inflation, dwindling purchasing power, insecurity, and other adversities.

The former Senate Leader emphasized the need for the government to prioritize stable electricity provision, tackle inflation, stabilize the currency, lower food prices, and enhance basic amenities before implementing tariff hikes.

Ndume also questioned the lack of consultation with the National Assembly, the representatives of the people, regarding such a crucial decision, noting that constituents were reaching out to lawmakers to intervene and reverse the steep increase.

Various stakeholders, including labor unions, ethnic, and religious leaders, have also expressed strong opposition to the abrupt tariff hike, warning of its dire consequences.

Ndume said: “The timing of this hike is very wrong. Nigerians are grappling with many challenges. To put this fresh responsibility on them is very unfair.”

“Nigerians are yet to recover from the fuel subsidy removal of last year. Many Nigerians are still grappling with the ripple effects that removal had on them. To now come up with this is wrong.

“There ought to have been some consultations, especially with the National Assembly as representatives of the people. We were not consulted. We saw the news like every other Nigerian.

“The inflation is still very high. The prices of food commodities, drugs, transportation, school fees, and other daily expenditures are still on the high side. To now add this new burden is unfair.

“The minimum wage has not been increased. Many state governments are yet to even pay the current minimum wage of N30,000. How do we expect the people to survive? We’ve got to be very realistic and feel the pulse of the people we represent as a government.

“For me, I think the Federal Government should first of all provide stable electricity, reduce inflation, stabilise the naira, and lower the lower the prices of food commodities. Then, the purchasing power of Nigerians must significantly improve before we can place a fresh responsibility on them as a government.

“The federal government needs to give the National Assembly the opportunity to also step in and consult because we represent the people. We feel their pulse, and we know what they’re going through right now.”

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Ndume spoke in Abuja on Wednesday during an interactive session with Edun and the senate committee on appropriations.

In November, Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the presidential tax reform committee, said tax incentives gulp N6 trillion every year.

Ndume said bold decisions needed to be taken noting that some companies are taking advantage of Nigeria “unnecessarily”.

“I think we should be bold enough just like the president is very bold. I still want to use this opportunity to commend him for his speech to say there is no more fuel subsidy. If he were to consult and talk to people the subsidy would have still been there,” he said.

“So if you come out from here declare that no more waivers, [and] it must be appropriated – you as the minister of finance can do that.

“We have to make bold decisions. Some people are taking advantage of Nigerians unnecessarily and benefiting to the detriment of Nigerians.

“We talk about tax credit. It is an expenditure and it should go through the national assembly and there are no two ways about that.”

Solomon Olamilekan, chairman of the appropriations committee, asked Edun what he thought of rebates for companies.

“What is your take that everybody pays what is expected of them in the government coffers and later ask for rebate,” he said.

In response, the minister said the country could have a system where companies pay their taxes and a rebate could be given to them afterwards.

“I think we are all agreeing that we should try as much as possible to move to a system of exposure so that afterwards a rebate system rather than upfront granting of waivers and other incentives even including interest incentives,” Edun said.

“So if somebody is going to be given a concessional interest rate, they pay the normal interest carry out the transaction and then they get a rebate.”

Olamilekan added that since the country is in a “transitionary” period, tax waivers should be cut by 50 percent.

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Ndume had raised a point of order, citing Order 54 of the Senate Rule Book to draw the attention of the Senate President to his handling of affairs in the chambers, which were against the rules.

He said: “Mr. President there are some things we do in this chamber that are against the rules. Sir, nobody is too big to learn.”

The error referred to, by Ndume, was a motion moved by Senator Summaila Kawu (NNPP Kano South), for debate on the need for re-opening of Nigerian-Niger Border, without stating the title of his motion.

Ndume who rose through order 51 of the Senate standing rules, requested the Senate President to allow for correction of any error made or observed in plenary.

Ndume said, ” This is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guided by laws, rules and procedures. If in the course of proceedings at any session, errors are observed, they must be corrected before forging ahead with such proceeding.”

But Akpabio quickly intercepted him by saying having ruled on issues raised, it can not be revisited and consequently ruled Ndume out of order.

Senator Sunday Karimi (APC Kogi West), spiritedly attempted to sustain Ndume’s line of argument through another point of order but was also swiftly ruled out of order by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

In a troubleshooting effort, the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, quickly rose to read order 16, which requires a substantive motion to be moved by any Senator for correction or review of the earlier decision taken.

Sustaining Barau’s point of order by Akpabio, infuriated Ndume by raising another point of order (order 54) to seek correction of the perceived error.

Akpabio had hardly allowed Ndume to end his speech when he ruled him out of order.

A visibly enraged Ndume then stormed out of the chamber and went straight to his office.

The Chief Whip was just settling down when he received a call from a colleague to return to the chamber for an executive session.

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While some members advocated actions that would stem military intrusion into governance within the region, others said dialogue and diplomacy were the best ways to solve the crisis.

The positions were taken when the 22 parliamentarians held an extraordinary meeting, virtually, to discuss the Niger Republic impasse.

The members, who were against military action, put forward the fate that could befall the masses if the country was invaded by forces trying to dislodge the coupists.

Niger rep

Ali Djibo, from Niger Republic said already no fewer than 9,000 schools have been shut since the crisis, adding that the best solution was dialogue and that military action had never been the best option anywhere in the world.

Djibo said: “War will only compound the economic woes the peoples of the sub-region are already going through.

“As we speak, over a thousand trucks, loaded with goods, are stranded at the border.

“If a coup happened in Nigeria or Cote’d’Iviore tomorrow, where’s the ECOWAS going to mobilise troops to fight the Nigerian or Ivorian military? How many borders are we going to close?

“We must also bear in mind that if we’re applying the ECOWAS treaty, it should be applicable to all.”

For Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante (Rivers), ECOWAS must pay keen attention and treat the root causes of coup in ECOWAS countries.

He said diplomacy must be used to resolve the problem.

‘What has dialogue done in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea?’

Members of the ECOWAS Parliament rooting for military solution to the Niger Republic matter said dialogue and diplomacy had not tamed the spread of coup in West Africa.

One of them was Linda Ikpeazu, who said because there were no consequences in the past, especially in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, hence Niger Republic situation.

She stressed that with the current situation in the sub-region, nobody knows which country will be the next.

Adebayo Balogun, in his contribution, said ECOWAS Heads of States were not proposing a full scale war, but a military action to dislodge the junta.

He recalled that Niger was a signatory to ECOWAS’ revised protocol on non-military intervention.

Also, Bashir Dawodu said he believed that while dialogue is being pursued, the body should be opened to military option to put pressure on the coupists.

Meanwhile, he pointed out, those banking on Russia to defend the junta should know that Russia alone cannot do it.

Wase and Ndume

Two others, who spoke against military invasion of Niger Republic were Idris Wase and Ali Ndume.

Wase, the first Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of ECOWAS, berated President Bola Tinubu, the ECOWAS Chairman.

He accused the President of unilaterally closing the Nigerian-Niger border and cutting electricity without the approval of the Nigerian National Assembly.

Wase added: “When the Russia-Ukraine war started, people thought it was to be a sharp war.

“A year after, the war is still lingering on with the attendant economic squander and wanton destruction of lives and properties.

“The sub-regional military chiefs knows what they stand to benefit economically. That’s why they’re eager to militarily intervene in Niger. Most of them are corrupt.

“Any war on Niger will have adverse effects on 60% of Nigeria, especially Northern Nigeria.

On his part, Senator Ndume said: “We are the representatives of the people. Whatever action that must be taken should be dependent on what our people want.

“The ECOWAS Chairman,  President Tinubu, wrote the Nigerian Senate on the planned military intervention in Niger and the Red Chamber vehemently opposed the use of force. They prefer, instead, dialogue should be adopted in resolving the impasse.

“President Tinubu has no right to close the Niger-Nigeria border, cut electricity without the approval of the Nigerian National Assembly.

“It is not the Niger junta that are suffering the sanctions, rather it is innocent people.”

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The upper legislative chamber was thrown into chaos following a motion demanding that the screening of Keyamo be suspended.

Darlington Nwokocha, senator representing Abia central, had moved the motion on Monday when Keyamo appeared before the lawmakers for screening as a ministerial nominee.

The lawmaker said Keyamo ignored the summon of the parliament in 2020 over the employment scheme of 774,000 Nigerians recruited for the special public works programme.

Keyamo was minister of state for labour and employment in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

He had accused the lawmakers of attempts to blackmail him.

Enyinnaya Abaribe, who represents Abia south, seconded Nwokocha’s motion to step down Keyamo’s screening.

Following the uproar that the motion generated, the senate dissolved into a closed session to resolve the issue.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently visited Aso Rock villa to meet with President Bola Tinubu.

At the resumption of the screening, Keyamo apologised to the senators.

He said the “issue” was resolved because he subsequently appeared before the senate committees after the “incident”.

Ali Ndume, chief chip of the senate, moved a motion that Keyamo’s apology be accepted.

The motion was unanimously adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Akpabio.

There were no questions posed to Keyamo by the senators after he apologised and was then asked to “take a leave”.

“The apology is without reservation. I apologise,” he said.

With the screening of Keyamo, the senate has concluded the screening of the 48 ministerial nominees.

Senate president is expected to announce the next course of action to be taken by the upper legislative chamber on the nominees.

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Recall that soon after Senator Akpabio emerged President  of  the  Senate  on Tuesday, June 13, he set up a15- member welfare committee, led by Senator  Isah Jibrin, APC,  Kogi East, to  allocate offices and seats at the hallowed chamber in accordance  with the Standing Orders and ranking.

As senators resume tomorrow, the fight for those to become the principal  officers for both the majority and minority parties would now be taken to the National  Assembly.

Though the issue of who become the principal  officers is purely  a party affair, recent  developments  have shown both internal and external  influence in the matter, just as what played  out in the  case of House of Representatives  in the 9th National  Assembly  when the Peoples  Democratic  Party, PDP wrote to the then speaker, Femi Gbajiabiamila, submitting the name  of Chinda Kingsley, but the speaker tricked the PDP and announced  Ndudi Elumelu as the minority  leader.

In the Senate,  the principal office positions for the ruling All  Progressives  Congress,  APC, are the majority  leader; chief whip; deputy leader; and  deputy whip, while the opposition  parties  have the minority leader; minority whip; deputy minority leader and deputy minority whip.

With the inauguration  of the 10th Senate,  the ruling APC has 59 senators; PDP, 36; Labour Party, LP, eight; New Nigeria  Peoples  Party, NNPP, two; Social  Democratic  Party, SDP, two; and  All Progressives  Grand Alliance,  APGA and  Young Progressives  Party, YPP, one each.

With the composition, the six opposition  political  parties have altogether  50 senators as against APC’s 59.

It is expected that the APC would forward  to  the Senate, names of the principal  officers and those  in the race for the Senate  leader are former Senate leader, Senator  Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South; Senator Opeyemi  Bamidele,  APC, Ekiti  Central; and Senator  Abdulfatai Buhari, APC, Oyo North.

In the case of the Minority  leader, it is a battle of wit between the PDP, former Vice Presidential  and the party’s presidential candidate  in the  February 25 election,  Atiku Abubakar on one hand and the immediate  past governor  of Rivers State, Nyesom  Wike, on the other.

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Ndume spoke during an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, while reacting to remarks made by Adamu Bulkachuwa, a former senator representing Bauchi north.

During the 9th senate valedictory session on Saturday, Bulkachuwa said he sometimes influenced the decisions of Zainab Bulkachuwa, his wife and a former president of the court of appeal, while she was in office.

“Particularly, my wife, whose freedom and independence I encroached upon while she was in office. And she has been very tolerant and accepted my encroachment and extended her help to my colleagues,” the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker had said.

The comment had elicited reactions from many Nigerians.

Olisa Agbakoba, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), said the former senator’s comment is sufficient ground for arrest, adding that the statement is a “monumental disgrace”.

Asked if he is bothered by Bulkachuwa’s comments, Ndume responded in the affirmative, adding that people are usually faced with dilemmas on ethical issues.

He commended the former senator for “confessing publicly”, adding that the revelation will help the system and people to “look inward”.

“It does. People are caught between what is right, moral, and social. My first wife is a high court judge,” he said.

“When people know that your wife is a judge, especially your friends, they will put pressure on you.

“We are all humans…depending on how strong you are to stand against this kind of thing. Sometimes, when the system itself is more or less compromised or can be compromised, you will be tempted.

“But I like his courage for confessing publicly even when he can decide not to. It will help the system and people to look inwards.”

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Speaking on Tuesday in an interview with Channels Television, Ndume said the president deployed his “foot soldiers” to deliver his preferred candidates.

Earlier, Godswill Akpabio, the senator representing Akwa Ibom north-west, was elected senate president after polling 63 votes to defeat his challenger, Abdulaziz Yari, who scored 46 votes.

Barau Jibrin, a senator from Kano, was declared deputy senate president.

For the house of representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, a lawmaker representing Zaria constituency in Kaduna, was elected speaker, while Benjamin Kalu from Abia state, was declared deputy.

The new leaders of the national assembly got the backing of the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu.

Reacting to the development, Ndume said the president is an “experienced” politician, adding that he convinced many lawmakers to support his preferred candidates.

“When I contested last time (2019), everybody was on the other side because the party and president endorsed Ahmad Lawan,” he said.

“It is almost a repetition of the same thing, the party and the president had a preferred candidate but this president (Tinubu) is an experienced politician who has played a lot of politics.

“He deployed his foot soldiers to complement our (campaign team of Akpabio) efforts and that made a difference. The vice president assisted us.

“He called some people. He even went to some people. It is politics. He sneaked out to visit some people and begged them to support. He has his reasons and there were convincing.”

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He also appealed to the leadership of NLC to embrace negotiation with government in the interest of the people.

Recall that NLC leaders had said they would stay away from the negotiation meeting with the federal government, insisting that government has  to revert to the old price of petrol before there could be any negotiation.

But in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, Ndume said:  “This fuel subsidy removal is something we must do now or never.  We need to open the wounds now and begin to heal them.

”The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, needs to work with the government and see how the effects can be minimised. If we don’t remove the subsidy now, some people will continue to milk this country. NLC should go to the negotiation table with the Federal Government.

“The NLC should not go on a strike first before negotiation. They should not make that mistake. Beside, there is no budget for subsidy. Where will the money come from?

“I call on President Tinubu to personally meet with Labour leaders and resolve the issues. He should also assure them that things will be all right.”

He also said with the appointment of Senator George Akume as Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, agitation by leaders from the North Central zone about the non-inclusion of the region in the appropriation of 10th National Assembly leadership positions had been laid to rest.

Ndume, who noted that President Tinubu had demonstrated that his campaign mantra “Renewed Hope”, had come to stay, said all the appointees so far announced by President Tinubu were senators and a speaker of the House of Representatives.

According to him, the administration of President Tinubu will be rancour-free, especially from the perspective of its relationship with the National Assembly, unlike previous administrations that undermined the parliament.

Ndume said: “I want to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for keeping to his campaign mantra, ‘Renewed Hope’. This is the first time politicians are appointed by a President to head key positions in government. This will be a rancour-free administration. All the appointees so far are grassroots politicians.

“George Akume was a governor, minister, a senator and now the Secretary to Government of the Federation. President Tinubu is a senator, Kashim Shettima is a senator. The First Lady is a senator, Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff to the President is a veteran parliamentarian. Even the Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, is a senator too.“

“It means there won’t be any reason to have any rancour with the National Assembly. The executive will be run by former members of the National Assembly, unlike previous governments run by so called technocrats who brought in consultants to steal our money. This is truly democracy at work.“

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There have been several incidents of attacks on residents in the FCT in recent times.

Speaking when he featured in an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, Ndume expressed concern over the security challenges in the FCT.

The Borno senator also noted that insurgents are not operating within Maiduguri, but outside the state capital.

“You know I live in Abuja and also live in Maiduguri. Once I come to Maiduguri, I feel safer than Abuja, because somebody can knock at your door, knock down your door with a gun,” he said.

“In Maiduguri, I don’t think I have completely heard of that. It is outside Maiduguri, where the insurgents are marauding around and they attack intermittently.

“And that is normal with insurgents; that is why they are even called insurgents. They do hit and run. Look at soft targets, that is where we found ourselves now.”

Commenting on President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to Borno on Thursday, Ndume noted that the visit to the state has shown that comments on the president being sick are not true.

He noted that the president’s visit to Lagos and Maiduguri, and the recent interviews gave hope to Nigerians.

“The president has given hope to Nigerians. First, by speaking out. Second, by visiting Lagos and coming to Maiduguri,” he said.

“Let me add, the president went round for six hours. He came in by 10am and was going round to various projects until 4pm, before he left.

“For those people who are saying the president is sick and all that, we went through the four corners of Maiduguri.

“We took six hours going round and that is very encouraging. From the interview he did with Arise TV, from the visit that he had to Lagos, for now the opposition will go back and sit down to look at what else they are going to say.”

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