The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, presided over plenary on Thursday. It is his first since the inauguration of the ninth Senate in June 2019.

Mr Omo-Agege took over the dais from Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, shortly after he (Lawan) said the prayers to commence the business of the day.

There have been speculations of friction between Mr Lawan and Omo-Agege as many wondered why the latter has not been allowed to preside over plenary sessions.

Many also believed that the deputy senate president was not fully aligned with the interests of the executive.

With the development, however, it appears that the insinuations will now be put to rest.

There were cheers in the chamber the moment Mr Omo-Agege took over the podium.

“It’s great to see you there,” James Manager (Delta South) told the deputy senate president who is also from Delta state.

“Thank you,” Mr Omo-Agege replied amidst cheers and laughter.

Constitution Review Committee

Prior to his exit, Mr Lawan announced the formation of the Constitution Review Committee.

Mr Omo-Agege will chair the 57-member committee.

Principal officers who constitute the steering committee but are also members of the main Committee as announced by Mr Lawan include Abdullahi Yahaya, Robert Boroffice, Sabi Abdullahi and Eyinnaya Abaribe.

Others are Emmanuel Bwacha, Philip Aduda and Sahabi Ya’u.

The rest are;

Theordore Orji (Abia)
Aisha Ahmed (Adamawa)
Stella Oduah (Anambra)
Albert Bassey (Akwa-Ibom)
Haliru Jika (Bauchi)
Diegi Biobakara (Bayelsa)
Gabriel Suswam (Benue)
Abubakar Kyari (Borno)
Gershom Bassey (Cross-River)
James Manager (Delta)
Samuel Egwu (Ebonyi)
Mathew Urghohide (Ebonyi)
Bamidele Opeyemi (Ekiti)
Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu)
Danjuma Goje (Gombe)
Rochas Okorocha (Imo)
Sabo Mohammed (Jigawa)
Uba Sani (Kaduna)
Kabiru Gaya (Kano)
Babba Kaita (Katsina)
Adamu Aliero (Kebbi)
Smart Adeyemi (Kogi)
Sadiq Umar (Kwara)
Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos)
Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa)
Sani Musa (Niger)
Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun)
Nicholas Tofowomo (Ondo)
Bashiru Ajibola (Osun)
Teslim Folarin (Oyo)
Hezekiah Dimka (Plateau)
George Sekibo (Rivers)
Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto)
Yusuf Yusuf (Taraba)
Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe)
Hassan Gusau (Zamfara)

Also in the committee are zonal representations with each zone represented by two senators.

They are, Ibn Na’allah and Ibrahim Shekarau (North West), Kashim Shettima and Lawal Gumau (North East) and Tanko Al-makura and Yakubu Oseni (North Central).

Others are, Abdulfatai Buhari and Biodun Olujimi (South West), Uche Ekwunife and Chukwuka Utazi (South East) and Akon Eyakenyi and Rose Oko (South-South).

While Mr Lawan advised members to represent the Senate and the national assembly as a whole. He said senators who are not members can still participate “by way of giving any solution and any advice they feel strongly about, for the committee to succeed.”

“As for the activities of the committee, you will engage not only members of the National Assembly and other statutory bodies like INEC and Civil Society groups but Nigerians are interested in the way and manner we do our activities here.

“Nigerians have interest in the Constitution review that the National Assembly will bank upon.

“There are several issues Nigerians feel very strongly about, the constitution review committee is supposed to be a platform where such issues could be brought and where those who are interested should ensure that they make every possible effort, including a presentation for their views to be considered,” he said.

He also welcomed any organisation that has anything as a contribution to the Constitution amendment review committee.

Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP, Anambra) however complained that his party, Young Progressives Party, was not mentioned in the committee.

“I think it is, maybe, an oversight. Mr President should consider our party because we are here on our own and I am a caucus of my party.”

In his response, Mr Lawan noted that the membership was not based on political parties. He said each state will be represented by a Senator and each geopolitical zone will have zonal representation.

“This is part of what we are trying to do in the Constitution review. I am sure the Constitution review committee, chairman and members will take note of this.

“Don’t despair, you are YPP, you have other opportunities so, this is our Senate, including the YPP,” he said.

The committee is expected to deliberate on all bills that seek to alter the constitution.

The Federal Government said that it will spend  N620m special intervention fund to monitor, detect and contain the deadly Coronavirus.

Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, stated this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on health.

He briefed the Senate panel on the level of his ministry’s preparedness to manage the Coronavirus outbreak in the country.

He said the fund would come directly from the service-wide vote.

His appearance was sequel to a resolution of the red chamber based on a motion by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, on the need to summon the minister over the issue.

Enahire said the ministry, on Thursday, submitted a memo proposing for the release of the sum of N620m to take proactive measures to contain the virus.

He said Nigeria was prepared to ensure its health security which could disrupt economic stability if left unchecked.

The Minister was in the Senate in company with the Director, Port Health Services, Dr Morenike Alex-Okoh, and the Director-General National Centre for Disease Control.
Enahire said already,  N71m was released to the port health services for its operations.

Ehanire said the ministry had a multi-stakeholder meeting to deploy port health services there to screen all passengers.

He said the national intervention on containing the Lassa fever outbreak enjoyed the timely release of N313m intervention fund from the Federal Government to manage the outbreak.

Meanwhile, the Senate expressed concerns over the non-screening of the  Chattered flight passengers wing of the local flight arrivals at the airports.

The senators expressed fears that it may be a loose end to import the Coronavirus.

Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, said the absence of health services at the private terminal could make for easy movement of infected bodies into the country.

The Senate, therefore, ordered the Minister to deploy health officials to the private tarmac and conduct screening of VIPs on chartered flight stressing Coronavirus was both a national and global health emergency.

The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, presided over plenary on Thursday. It is his first since the inauguration of the ninth Senate in June 2019.

Mr Omo-Agege took over the dais from Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, shortly after he (Lawan) said the prayers to commence the business of the day.

There have been speculations of friction between Mr Lawan and Omo-Agege as many wondered why the latter has not been allowed to preside over plenary sessions.

Many also believed that the deputy senate president was not fully aligned with the interests of the executive.

With the development, however, it appears that the insinuations will now be put to rest.

There were cheers in the chamber the moment Mr Omo-Agege took over the podium.

“It’s great to see you there,” James Manager (Delta South) told the deputy senate president who is also from Delta state.

“Thank you,” Mr Omo-Agege replied amidst cheers and laughter.

Constitution Review Committee

Prior to his exit, Mr Lawan announced the formation of the Constitution Review Committee.

Mr Omo-Agege will chair the 57-member committee.

Principal officers who constitute the steering committee but are also members of the main Committee as announced by Mr Lawan include Abdullahi Yahaya, Robert Boroffice, Sabi Abdullahi and Eyinnaya Abaribe.

Others are Emmanuel Bwacha, Philip Aduda and Sahabi Ya’u.

The rest are;

Theordore Orji (Abia)
Aisha Ahmed (Adamawa)
Stella Oduah (Anambra)
Albert Bassey (Akwa-Ibom)
Haliru Jika (Bauchi)
Diegi Biobakara (Bayelsa)
Gabriel Suswam (Benue)
Abubakar Kyari (Borno)
Gershom Bassey (Cross-River)
James Manager (Delta)
Samuel Egwu (Ebonyi)
Mathew Urghohide (Ebonyi)
Bamidele Opeyemi (Ekiti)
Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu)
Danjuma Goje (Gombe)
Rochas Okorocha (Imo)
Sabo Mohammed (Jigawa)
Uba Sani (Kaduna)
Kabiru Gaya (Kano)
Babba Kaita (Katsina)
Adamu Aliero (Kebbi)
Smart Adeyemi (Kogi)
Sadiq Umar (Kwara)
Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos)
Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa)
Sani Musa (Niger)
Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun)
Nicholas Tofowomo (Ondo)
Bashiru Ajibola (Osun)
Teslim Folarin (Oyo)
Hezekiah Dimka (Plateau)
George Sekibo (Rivers)
Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto)
Yusuf Yusuf (Taraba)
Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe)
Hassan Gusau (Zamfara)

Also in the committee are zonal representations with each zone represented by two senators.

They are, Ibn Na’allah and Ibrahim Shekarau (North West), Kashim Shettima and Lawal Gumau (North East) and Tanko Al-makura and Yakubu Oseni (North Central).

Others are, Abdulfatai Buhari and Biodun Olujimi (South West), Uche Ekwunife and Chukwuka Utazi (South East) and Akon Eyakenyi and Rose Oko (South-South).

While Mr Lawan advised members to represent the Senate and the national assembly as a whole. He said senators who are not members can still participate “by way of giving any solution and any advice they feel strongly about, for the committee to succeed.”

“As for the activities of the committee, you will engage not only members of the National Assembly and other statutory bodies like INEC and Civil Society groups but Nigerians are interested in the way and manner we do our activities here.

“Nigerians have interest in the Constitution review that the National Assembly will bank upon.

“There are several issues Nigerians feel very strongly about, the constitution review committee is supposed to be a platform where such issues could be brought and where those who are interested should ensure that they make every possible effort, including a presentation for their views to be considered,” he said.

He also welcomed any organisation that has anything as a contribution to the Constitution amendment review committee.

Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP, Anambra) however complained that his party, Young Progressives Party, was not mentioned in the committee.

“I think it is, maybe, an oversight. Mr President should consider our party because we are here on our own and I am a caucus of my party.”

In his response, Mr Lawan noted that the membership was not based on political parties. He said each state will be represented by a Senator and each geopolitical zone will have zonal representation.

“This is part of what we are trying to do in the Constitution review. I am sure the Constitution review committee, chairman and members will take note of this.

“Don’t despair, you are YPP, you have other opportunities so, this is our Senate, including the YPP,” he said.

The committee is expected to deliberate on all bills that seek to alter the constitution.

A man, Micheal Okhide, has absconded after allegedly stabbing his father, Clement, and mother, Toyin, to death in their house, located at No 6, Akeem Gbadamosi Street, in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State.

Michael and his parents were at home when a matter happened which led him to allegedly perpetrate the crime.

Afterwards, it was learnt that the 23-year-old also allegedly attacked his sister, Mercy, a corps member, who returned home around 5.30 p.m.

Michael’s sister, Mercy, said when she got home, she saw bloodstains in the house, adding that her brother allegedly attacked her but she escaped with injuries.

She said, “When I got home around 5.30 p.m., I met the entrance door open and saw blood on the net. The door to the kitchen was also open. When I entered into the kitchen, I saw that there were bloodstains everywhere and I became scared.

“As I was leaving the kitchen, I heard my mummy screaming my name that I should run, and immediately, I saw Michael came where I was and I saw bloodstains on him.

“He told me to come inside and I refused, so, both of us started struggling and he stabbed me in my stomach and my hands but I was lucky that the cut was not deep. He wanted to prevent me from escaping but I was lucky to escape and he ran back inside and later I heard that he ran away and locked the gate with a padlock.”

A resident in the area, who identified himself has Salau, said Michael absconded after perpetrating the crime, alleging that he was a drug addict, who had been rusticated from three universities.

“I know that boy that killed his parents; he stabbed the mother and the father to death and also stabbed his sister who just got back from work where she is serving but she was able to run out of the house and survived. The police from the Ejigbo Police Division visited the scene of the crime yesterday to evacuate the corpses and also came today for further investigation.

“Nobody was around when he stabbed his parents to death in their apartment. That boy has been a thorn in their flesh and was a drug addict that had been rusticated from three private universities. He ran away after perpetrating the crime.”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said a manhunt has been launched for Michael, adding that the corpses were evacuated to the Isolo General Hospital.

Elkana said, “On Tuesday, February 4, 2020, around 6.00 p.m., I was alerted that a young man, Michael Okhide, 23, had killed his father, Clement Okhide, 60 and suspected to have seriously injured his mother at No 6 Akeem Gbadamosi Street. When our men were mobilised to the scene, we found Clement, dead in a pool of his blood in the kitchen. Blood was also seen all over the kitchen and a thorough search of the house led to the discovery of the remains of Clement’s wife, Toyin, 50, in one of the locked-up rooms upstairs.

“Two corpses were recovered and deposited at the Isolo General Hospital’s mortuary. The assailant equally stabbed his sister, Mary, in the stomach and on the hands. She has visited the Ejigbo Health Centre where she received treatment. A manhunt has been launched to arrest the fleeing assailant.”

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, says the use of motorcycles (Okada) as a major means of transportation is not in the plan of Lagos State and should be banned.

He spoke at a public lecture organised by the United Action for Change in Lagos on Thursday.

It will be recalled that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State had banned the operations of motorcycle and tricycle in 15 Local Government Development Areas and Local Council Development Areas, including highways and major roads in the state.

The ban, however, has generated controversies and mixed reactions from residents of Lagos and other Nigerians.

Since the enforcement of the ban, residents complained of gridlock, hike in transportation fare and unavailability of vehicles to convey them to their destinations.

But Fashola said rather than reduce crime, motorcycles aid it.

During his eight-year tenure as the Lagos State Governor, Fashola also banned Okadas.

“If you are concerned about security you must support the present Lagos governor now on Okada ban. As the Center of Excellence, motorcycles should not be our choice of transport,” he added.

He also advised the Lagos State Government enforcement of the law, saying, “We are more focused on launch enforcement and increasing the numbers of policemen. Capacity development is great but security is more than law enforcement.”

While giving reasons for his support for Okada ban, Fashola narrated that he was once robbed in his home.

He said Okada riding also aided crisis and caused youths not to explore other productive ways of generating income.

He said, “Do we stand in reacting mode or proactive mode. If reacting, there is already a victim and a criminal. If we are proactive then how long can we sustain that?

“Motorcycles are a means of peddling drugs to children even under the watch of parents without knowing.

I’ve always held this position. Motorcycle has always been a conduit pipe for the opioid crisis among youths. We must act to eliminate anonymity.

“I was robbed in my home, in fact on my bed in 1999. Organised crime is dynamic, criminals are aware that people don’t keep money at home again, now they diversified into kidnapping people for ransom