The proposed legislation, titled National Road Transportation Council (Establishment) Bill, 2024, aimed to regulate the road transport industry and profession in Nigeria.

In leading the debate on the bill On Thursday, Ashiru explained that the legislation would create a council board consisting of a chairman and six members, each representing a different geo-political zone of the country.

According to the explanatory memoranda of the bill, presented by Senate Chief Whip Senator Tahir Monguno (APC Borno North) on behalf of Ashiru, the board would include representatives from the Ministries of Transport, Commerce and Industry, and Aviation, who would hold positions not below the rank of Director.

The proposed council’s functions were outlined to include:

• Creating a regulatory framework for road transport service operators.
• Setting standards for knowledge and skills required in the road transport sector.
• Promoting education in road transportation.
• Ensuring accessibility of transport facilities, channels, and routes.
• Monitoring the performance of the road transport industry.
• Conducting background checks on transport service operators.
• Registering service providers and determining registration fees.
• Setting guidelines and policies for operators.
• Reporting annually to the Federal Government on activities and progress.
• Suggesting improvements and carrying out tasks as assigned by the Federal Government.

During the debate, Senators Victor Umeh (LP Anambra Central), Adams Oshiomhole (APC Edo North), and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP Kogi Central), among others, opposed the bill.

They argued that it would duplicate the functions of existing agencies such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Directorate of Road Transport Service (DRTS), also known as the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO).

As a result, when Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the bill to a voice vote, the majority of Senators voted against it.

This bill seeks to reinstate the old anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”

The bill rapidly cleared both its first and second readings and now awaits President Bola Tinubu’s signature to become law.

This follows the House of Representatives’ passage of the bill on Thursday.

Buba clarified that the levy was incorporated into the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (Amendment) Act, 2024, with the intention of enhancing national cybersecurity measures.

He stressed that the Cybersecurity Levy is not punitive, highlighting numerous exemptions designed to protect ordinary citizens, especially those with limited financial means. These exemptions include salary payments, intra-account transfers, loan disbursements and repayments, and other financial transactions.

The lawmaker revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria extensively consulted the National Assembly before introducing the Cybersecurity Levy as part of the amended Act. He attributed the delay in implementation to challenges related to interpreting specific clauses.

Buba explained, “The Cybercrimes Act of 2015 has provisions for imposing a Cybersecurity Levy since its enactment, but the vagueness of Section 44 led to different interpretations until the 2024 amendments.”

He further elaborated, “The levy is 0.5%, equivalent to half a per cent of the value of all electronic transactions by businesses specified in the Second Schedule to the Act.

“The amendments addressed crucial gaps in the Act and empowered the nation to implement the National Cybersecurity Programme effectively.”

The proposed capital punishment also applies to manufacturing, trafficking, dealing in or delivery of hard drugs by any means.

The Senate arrived at the resolution on the floor of the red chamber after deliberations on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The maximum punishment in the extant law for offenders is life imprisonment.

During the consideration of the report on the bill for passage on Thursday, Senate Whip, Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), recommended that the punishment of life imprisonment be “toughened” to death penalty.

The penalty for drug importation or dealership is captured in Section 11 of the extant law, which Ndume sought to be increased to a death sentence.

He said, “This (life imprisonment) should be changed to a death sentence. This is the standard worldwide. We have to do this to address this problem of drugs that has seriously affected our youths.

“It should be toughened beyond life imprisonment. It should be the death sentence, either by hanging or any way.”

This proposal did not sit well with some of his colleagues, including former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, who took to the floor to voice out his reservations.

Oshiomhole told his colleagues that he would rarely joke with any matter concerning life and death.

“When a matter has to do with life and death, we should be accountable. Let’s divide the Senate. This is lawmaking. We are not here to take voice votes,” Oshiomhole said.

His position was overruled by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary.

Jibrin told Oshiomhole that he should have called for a division of the Senate immediately after the voting took place and before the Senate moved to another clause in the amendment bill.

“This is about procedure. You were supposed to call for a division; you didn’t do so. I am sorry, I can’t help you”, the DSP stood his ground and stuck with the decision of the Senate.

Similarly, Senator Sampson Ekong from Akwa Ibom State also kicked against the resolution of the Senate but he was overruled.

The Senate went ahead to pass the bill for a third reading.

The report on the bill was jointly produced by the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters/Drugs and Narcotics.

Speaking with Senate correspondents after the plenary, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Mohammed Monguno, said the Senate approved the death sentence, noting that the voices of Oshiomhole and others did not change the ruling of the presiding officer.

“The ruling of the presiding officer is the position of the Senate, he added.

In his lead debate, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele Opeyemi, explained that the amendment targeted  Section 2 (1) and Section 7(4) of the Act.

He explained that in Section 2, the “Act is amended to allow Nigeria to accede to extradition requests from countries with which Nigeria has signed an extradition treaty – as opposed to only Commonwealth countries, as is the case today.

“The present position of the Act applies only to countries within the Commonwealth and any other country with whom Nigeria establishes an extradition treaty or arrangement.”

The proposed amendment in Section 7 of the Act is “to properly set out the procedure for issuance of warrants of arrest for effective execution of extradition requests.”

Giving further information about the extradition law, Opeyemi said it’s “the legislation that governs the process by which Nigeria can request and obtain the surrender of a person from another jurisdiction, who is accused or convicted of a criminal offence outside the requesting jurisdiction’s territory.”

He added, “The Act is today set for amendment to ensure compliance with Nigeria’s obligation to the international bodies in the fight against Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing and also to ensure the delisting of Nigeria by the International Country Risk Guide from the grey list through compliance.”

The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, presided over the proceedings.

The bill secured a majority voice vote and was referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives are working on the bill at the same time.

Dubbed “N200,000 Palliative Loan By the Senate,” the fake offer displays a misleading image of Senator Akpabio alongside the coat of arms and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) logo.

Disseminated on Facebook under the account name Templeshort, this fraudulent scheme falsely promises instant loan approval.

It is crucial for the public to disregard this misleading advertisement, as it did not originate from the Office of the President of the Senate. Instead, it is the crafty work of fraudsters aiming to exploit unsuspecting Nigerians.

Hon Eseme Eyiboh, the official spokesperson for the President of the Senate, emphasizes that the Senate has no association with Templeshort and disavows any connection with a Facebook handle operating under that name.

Additionally, the President of the Senate is not involved in any loan program or palliative arrangement.

“Senator Godswill Akpabio is not collaborating with the CBN or any other financial institution on any loan facility as a form of palliative,” underscores Hon Eyiboh.

The public is strongly cautioned to exercise vigilance and caution against these deceitful tactics employed by criminals targeting unsuspecting Nigerians.

Advertisements like the one claiming Senate sponsorship for loans or palliative measures are false. There is no such loan or palliative initiative within the office of the President of the Senate or under the name of Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Hon Eyiboh urges the public to dismiss such scams and promptly report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture Production, Services, and Rural Development, Sen. Salihu Mustapha (APC, Kwara) made the call in Abuja on Monday at the joint budget defence session of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

Mustapha said the Senate and House committees on Agriculture Production, Services, and Rural Development are concerned about the challenges facing the agricultural sector.

He noted that despite the challenges, the sector remained the largest contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) from the non-oil sector, with over 20 per cent.

He lamented that the budgetary allocation to the sector remained a far cry from the 10 per cent of the nation’s budget per the Maputo Declaration, to which Nigeria subscribed.

“The agricultural sector has the largest potential to lead millions of Nigerians out of poverty and provide much-needed food security.

“It is, therefore, imperative that the sector be given the utmost priority in national economic policies and future budgets.

“I, therefore, call on the executive to exercise the political will to allocate at least 10 per cent of the national budgets and revenues to the agriculture sector,” Mustapha said.

He said the budget defence process was not only important but also sacrosanct.

He said both chambers of the 10th Assembly had demonstrated readiness and commitment to work together to pass the 2024 budget in good time.

However, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other experts have cautioned against the government’s move to establish new institutions without adequate funding for existing ones.

Despite the existing 52 federal universities in Nigeria, with a total of 63 public universities and 147 private institutions, the government has proposed further expansion.

The National Board for Technical Education reports 40 federal polytechnics, 49 state-owned polytechnics, and 76 private polytechnics.

Additionally, there are 70 federal and state-owned colleges of health, along with 17 private colleges of health. The National Commission for Colleges of Education estimates that there are 219 colleges of education in the country.

Analysis of the bills reveals that the Speaker of the House led the initiative, proposing the establishment of the Federal University of Technology in Kaduna.

Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker, advocated for the development of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences in Bende, Abia State.

Other bills suggest the creation of institutions such as the Federal University of Information and Communications Technology in Lagos Island, Federal University of Agriculture in Ute Okpa, Delta State, and the Federal University of Biomedical Sciences in Benue State.

Further proposals include the establishment of the Federal College of Health Sciences in Gaya, Federal College of Dental Technology in Faggae, Federal College of Agriculture in Agila, Benue State, Federal College of Education in Dangi-Kanam, Plateau State, and the Federal College of Education in Bende, Abia State.

Additionally, bills have been presented for the Benjamin Kalu Federal Polytechnic in Rano, Kano State, and the Federal Polytechnic in Shendam, Plateau State, among others.

The resolution was reached during Tuesday’s plenary session following a motion of national importance sponsored by Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC, Oyo South).

Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, a retired civil servant and electrical engineer, passed away on August 29 at the age of 89. Although originally from Abeokuta, Ogun State, he spent his life in Ibadan.

Senator Alli, in presenting his motion, emphasized the need to immortalize the national flag designer as a way of honoring his remarkable achievements and contributions to the country’s development.

He specifically proposed renaming a national monument after Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi and establishing a historical initiative to document his achievements.

Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North), who seconded the motion, suggested conferring a national honour on the late Akinkunmi for the benefit of the younger generation to appreciate his significant role in the country’s development.

Other senators who contributed to the motion echoed the sentiment that the Federal Government should pay tribute to the late Akinkunmi.

In response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed members of the upper legislative chamber to observe a minute of silence in honor of the esteemed designer of the national flag.

During a virtual diaspora dialogue, Bamidele highlighted the National Assembly’s commitment to reevaluating diaspora voting rights and other related issues impacting Nigerians abroad.

Bamidele, who had previously sponsored a motion for the Constitution’s review, assured stakeholders that the diaspora voting rights would be a significant aspect of the ongoing constitution review process.

He said, “Let me tell you some good news. Not that we are trying to bring the bill back. The bill is already on the floor of the 10th Senate. Exactly two weeks ago, we had the first reading of the bill. It has already been scheduled for a second reading.

“Definitely, as the Leader of the Senate, I can assure you that we will consider the second reading of the bill this week. After this stage, it will be referred to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.”

As the Senate Leader emphasized the importance of diaspora voting rights and greater inclusion in the electoral process, he acknowledged the bill’s progression through various stages. After the second reading, the bill will be referred to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.

Bamidele clarified the legislative process, stating, “After the passage of the bill, it will be taken to the House of Representatives for concurrence. Diaspora voting is a right that must be recognized in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He urged stakeholders to engage with governors and Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly to ensure the bill’s passage into law, emphasizing the significance of diaspora voting as a generational fight and a crucial step toward electoral inclusivity.