Remarks By Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal CFR, Speaker, House Of Representatives on April 24, 2012

Remarks By Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal CFR, Speaker, House Of Representatives, National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

On The Occasion Of The Consideration Of The Report On The House’s Ad Hoc Committee On Petroleum Subsidy

1. My fellow colleagues, You will recall that on Sunday January 8 we had to cut short our recess in response to a national crisis as a result of the sudden removal of fuel subsidy by the Executive Arm of Government.

2. The commitment and patriotism shown by members during that period of emergency finally led to the gradual resolution of that crisis.

3. Today, we are here to consider the product of that sacrifice. Before you is the report of the Ad-hoc Committee on the monitoring of fuel subsidy regime which was set up to verify and determine actual subsidy requirements.

4. And I must commend the Chairman of the Committee, Hon Farouk Lawan and the rest of his Committee Members, for their courage, dedication and professionalism. They were given a crucial assignment and they handled it with the integrity and patriotism it deserved.

5. The probe of the oil Sector has raised so much dust from certain segments of the polity such that it became clear that the intention was to frustrate it. For those who regard the oil sector as a secret society or sacred cow, I wish to state without equivocation that it is not. All public agencies in the oil sector are the creation of Acts of the National Assembly and this Honourable House has no powers to legislate for the creation of secret societies. Similarly all private sector corporate bodies operating in the sector are the creation of the Corporate Affairs Commission and that Commission also is not vested with any powers to incorporate secret societies. Let it therefore be known that in our drive to sanitize the polity, there are no sacred cows and we do not intend to discover any.

6. However, that is only one part of the job. We now have the more crucial duty of considering the report and recommendations of the committee. Usually in a matter such as this, one is accustomed to hearing differing opinions presented passionately. Or passions presented as opinions.

7. But we must never forget who we are and where we are, because Nigerians are watching us very closely and history will judge what we do here today. I therefore urge each and everyone of you to look at this report dispassionately.

8. Be fair in your comments and set aside all primordial sentiments so that we can do justice to this important document.

9. Let me reiterate the fact that we are discharging a Constitutional assignment here and it is therefore incumbent upon us to do our duty without fear or favour. Let me also remind you that we are fighting against entrenched interests whose infectious greed has decimated our people. Therefore, be mindful that they will fight back, and they do fight dirty.

10. I have heard all kinds of insinuations, including the one about anti-graft agencies waiting for a ‘harmonise version’ of this report before taking any action. Let me quickly say here that this is at best an excuse that can not stand after all the same agencies accept and investigate petitions from individuals, how much more resolutions of this House, there will be no such document so they should just go ahead and do their job and where they find any person or body culpable, they should proceed in accordance with the law.

11. Our only interest here is to mitigate the suffering of Nigerians by showing how the subsidy regime has been hijacked for the benefit of a few. At the end of our deliberations we hope that the executive arm will act upon the resolutions of this House and bring more transparency to bear on the system.

12. Together we can do all things constitutionally required of us but not without sacrificing our personal comforts, personal aspiration and even personal opportunities that do not benefit the public good. For as many are prepared and determined to make these personal sacrifice and to stand on the side of the ordinary Nigerians whose mandate we hold, I say let’s march on dear colleagues.

13. My fellow colleagues, I wish you God’s guidance.

Thank you.

Being the text of Remarks By Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal CFR, Speaker, House Of Representatives, National Assembly of The Federal Republic of Nigeria On The Occasion Of The Consideration Of The Report On The House’s Ad Hoc Committee On Petroleum Subsidy

Full Text Of The Speaker's speech at the plenary session June 15, 2012

We are on course

Being text of remarks by the speaker, house of representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (CFR) on the occasion of the special plenary session of the house on Friday 15th June 2012

Protocols

My Dear Honourable Colleagues,

I now formally welcome you to this Special Session of Plenary which has been summoned pursuant to Order 5(18)(2) of the Standing Rules of the House of Representatives. It is the Second Special Session since the 7th House of Representatives was inaugurated on the 6th June 2011.

2.The object of the Session, which you have just accomplished, is to deliberate on grave allegation of bribery brought against a member of this Hallowed Chambers. Hon. Farouk Lawan by Mr. Femi Otedola, an oil marketer, in connection with the work of the Ad-Hoc Committee on the Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime empanelled by the House for that purpose.

3.In accordance with our Legislative Agenda we must continue to be, not only sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians but also proactive on all matters of urgent National importance, therefore, while I apologize for the inconveniences caused to members by this sudden recall from the recess, I trust, we all appreciate that this is a call to important civic duty for our dear country.

4.Hon. Colleagues, when we elected to pursue the entrenchment of probity, accountability and transparency in the conduct of government business as a cardinal Legislative Agenda we advised ourselves never to expect that it will be an easy task. Accordingly I have had cause to occasionally sound a note of warning and reminder that our constitutional task is inescapably hazardous requiring total commitment, diligence, transparency; determination and sacrifice.

5.The Constitution has given the parliament three broad duties, which include Law Making, Representation and Oversight. It is interesting to note that of these three, it is that last function, which gives legislature the powers to conduct oversight, that has tended to cause conflict between the legislature and the Executive and remains the most controversial. Yet. it would have been impossible to conduct the other two functions successfully if the Constitution had not given the parliament oversight powers: the single most potent weapon that makers of the Constitution put in place to check abuse by those who execute its law.

6.In full compliance with the Constitutional prescription in S 62(1) and (2) the House has always ensured that all Committees empanelled by it, be they Ad-Hoc or Standing, are given a clear mandate. I find it compelling to state for the umpteenth time that the constitutional power of investigation conferred on the Legislature is for the purpose of law reform and for the exposure of corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it. In the exercise of this function there shall be no sacred cows.

7.I have emphasized the constitutionality of the oversight function of the legislature because there lingers among many public officials, the notion that in holding public or investigative hearings, the Legislature is over stepping its bounds and also neglecting its other functions. Nothing can be further from the truth. The records of our performance for the first legislative year, which just ended on 6th June 2012, show that the performance in the area of legislation was equally impressive.

8.I wish at this point to make this pledge that the House of Representatives shall continue to act responsibly by ensuring that all investigations are instituted only when absolutely necessary. Furthermore, we shall insist on probity and fairness on the part of our members conducting such investigations; and we shall not hesitate to sanction anyone who in the course of these investigations overreaches himself or uses the process to intimidate anyone or engages in corruption.

9.The recent investigations into two Sectors, namely Oil Subsidy Regime and Capital Market were conducted in public, evidence and testimonies were freely given and taken and in the case of oil subsidy regime, monumental fraud was disclosed in the report of the Ad-Hoc Committee which has since been passed by the House and referred to the Executive for implementation by relevant agencies.

10.While we consider it preposterous and hasty to dismiss the current bribery allegations, pending the outcome of ongoing investigations, including our in-house investigation just instituted, we reject in totality insinuations being orchestrated in some media to the effect that the allegations have eroded the integrity of the Resolutions of the House on the report and rendered same unworthy of implementation.

11.Let me reiterate that the resolutions of the Hose over the fuel subsidy regime remain valid despite this recent controversy. We must as a country learn to separate institutions from individuals and we must admit that, in the present case, the alleged conduct of an individual cannot negate the conclusions of the whole House. Let me also reaffirm here that we have not been compromised and we shall never compromise our stand against corruption. The credibility of that report therefore remains inviolable and we stand by it.

12.May I, therefore, urge the Executive to match words with action in the implementation of these resolutions. As just resolved by motion, relevant Committees of the House must diligently monitor the implementation of the resolution by agencies under their supervisory jurisdiction and report back to the House within reasonable time.

13.My Dear Colleagues, the scope of our resolve for transparency in the conduct of government business includes all the arms of government; all public functionaries and all persons doing business with government or operating under Acts of the legislature. As members of parliament we enjoy no immunity and we seek none, let us therefore remind ourselves constantly that we must live above board. We offer ourselves for public scrutiny at all times in our effort to build a better Nigeria. As humans where we err and our attention is called we shall be willing to make amends in the overall national interest.

14.I call upon all of us to remain firm, resolute and committed to the execution of our constitutional mandate whatever the hazards. We must NEVER repeat NEVER be cowed or intimidated by any form or colour of antics that may be fashioned with intent to dampen our spirits and or break our resolve. It remains for me to say that, when the army suffers causalities of a few officers and men at the battlefront, it beats no retreat except it does not intend to win the battle. I am confident that men and women of integrity and character are in the overwhelming majority in our fold and we do not lack the numbers to prosecute the battle. We shall be judged not only by our words but more so by our actions.

15.To the good people of Nigeria we appeal for patience and understanding and wish to once more assure you of our sincerity of purpose and the determination to deliver the Nigeria of our dreams. The road may be rough and herculean but victory is sure.

16.Now therefore is the time to double the pace of our performance, including the investigative hearings, given that from the monumental fraud uncovered through these investigations, we know that we are surely on course.

17.The current unfortunate bribery allegation, whatever the outcome of ongoing investigation can only serve as impetus for us to do more, in the quest for the entrenchment of probity in governance.

18.In addition to routine oversight, we shall investigate everything that needs to be investigated in the process of the fashioning of a better Nigeria. In this regard, we shall continue to seek synergy with the other arms of government so as not to work at cross-purposes.

19.May the Almighty God grant us the Courage and Grace to do what is right at all times and in all situations.

Thank you all.

Gov. Sule Lamido speaks and I quote

The PDP government of Jigawa had, in 2011, supported President Jonathan’s bid which caused the people to castigate us by way of calling us names; however, the president and federal government have not in any way redeemed their campaign promises to the people of the state, for which we see no reason whatsoever to support him again - Gov.Sule Lamido

The Speaker speaks and I quote

I have made my position known at the NBA conference about a week ago. And I said that it is not the best of fashion in a democracy that you militarize a process to the extent that voters get intimidated and scared and they rather withdraw and remain indoors