The Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, has condemned the controversy surrounding the Senate's budget of N5,550 billion for the purchase of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). He said Nigerian senators deserve SUVs and it is an insult to say otherwise, Punch Newspaper reports. The status of a senator of the Federal Republic…

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) said it did not write to banks demanding the bank accounts of leaders of the National Assembly and the Judiciary A document, said to be from the NFIU, was circulated on Friday showing a request to banks for the information on the accounts of…

A Kogi State senator, Dino Melaye, has rejected his appointment by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Director-General of the Kogi State Governorship Campaign Council. Mr Melaye made the announcement in a tweet on Friday. "Let me state categorically that I have turned down the position of Director-General of…

The Senate's Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, says he will win the supplementary election in his senatorial district "even if it is conducted 20 times". He said this on Thursday in Abuja when he received the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who paid him a courtesy visit.…

About 640 Nigerians in South Africa have been registered to return home. The Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this to journalists on Monday after a closed-door meeting with the Senate Committee on Diaspora in Abuja. The announcement came days after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey…

The Nigerian government has said it will insist on ensuring the South African government pays compensation to Nigerians affected by renewed xenophobic violence there. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, told journalists on Friday after a closed-door meeting with the Senate Committee on Diaspora in Abuja. "This is a…

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has denied reports that a mosque was demolished in the state capital, Port Harcourt. He made this known in a statement on Monday following reports that the state government spearheaded the demolition of the religious building. The report, in the last 24 hours, triggered…

Former Osun senator, Babajide Omoworare, has revealed his appointment as President Muhammadu Buhari’s legislative aide. Mr Omoworare replaces Ita Enang as aide to the president on National Assembly Matters (Senate). The announcement comes days after PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported that the president dropped Mr Enang because of the perception within…

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the Nigerian Correctional Service Bill. The bill was signed on Wednesday, 11 years after it was first presented on the floor of the Senate. The bill changes the name of the Nigerian Prisons Service to Nigerian Correctional Service. The bill was first presented…

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a change of name for the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi in Benue State. The new name for the institution is Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. The approval follow's the president's decision to sign a bill amending the law that set up the university. Mr…

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has urged Nigerians, particularly the Muslim faithful, to remember the purpose of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, which he said, is to commemorate the trials and triumph of Prophet Ibrahim. He made the call in a Sallah message through his Media Adviser, Ola Awoniyi, as he admonished…

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed three bills passed by the last National Assembly into law. The bills are the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (Amendment) Act, 2019; Defence Intelligence Agency Civilian Pensions Board (Establishment) Act, 2019; and National Biosafety Management Agency (Amendment) Act, 2019. An announcement of the president's assent…

Weeks after its inauguration, the ninth Senate finally reconstituted its standing and special committees last week. The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, made the announcement at the close of plenary on Thursday, after which the lawmakers embarked on their annual recess. Prior to the constitution of the standing committees, the lawmakers…

Congratulations Nigerians! We now have 43 new ministers-designate (pending when they are inaugurated). The Senate this week concluded a five-day screening process of the 43 ministers appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari. It is, however, not surprising that there were condemnations from groups and individuals before the appointment, during the screening…

Former Kaduna senator, Shehu Sani, has announced the opening of a non-profit centre. It is called the Africa Centre for Freedom, Peace and Development. Mr Sani who will head the centre as the executive director made the announcement at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday. He said the centre…

The Senate has suspended plenary for eight weeks to enable lawmakers embark on annual recess. The Senate had postponed the recess by a week to screen and confirm the ministerial nominees sent in by President Muhammadu Buhari. The lawmakers confirmed all the 43 appointees on Tuesday after they spent five…

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has named the chairpersons for the Senate's 69 standing committees. The announcement was made shortly after the lawmakers unanimously voted to embark on the Senate's annual recess. As expected, some senators loyal to the Senate president were given committees that are considered to be key.…

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has named chairpersons for the Senate Standing Committees. Mr Lawan also announced 69 committees for the Senate. The announcement was made shortly after the lawmakers unanimously voted to embark on an annual recess. Some senators loyal to the Senate President were, as expected, given key…

The Senate on Wednesday completed the screening process and confirmed all the 43 ministerial nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari. The president had on Monday, last week, sent the list to the Senate for screening and confirmation. The upper chamber duly suspended its recess for the exercise. The lawmakers spent five…

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed all 43 ministerial nominees sent by President Muhammadu Buhari. The screening of the ministers began last Wednesday and ended today. One of the last three ministers to be screened on Tuesday was former information minister, Lai Mohammed. Mr Mohammed was on Tuesday given the traditional…

The Senate has asked the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to issue a fresh proclamation letter for the Edo State House of Assembly within one week. It asked the governor to formally inform all the 24 members-elect of the new proclamation via print and electronic media platforms. Failure to do…

The Senate on Monday screened nine more ministerial nominees appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Those screened on Monday are a former minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Muhammad Mahmoud, Gbemisola Saraki, ex-Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola and Goddy Jedi-Agba. Others are former Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu; Maryam…

A former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has promised to push for 'just taxation' on wealthy Nigerians if confirmed a minister of the federal republic. He made the statement during his ministerial screening on Monday. Mr Aregbesola is one of the 43 ministers recently appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.…

The immediate past Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has called for the introduction of a N10 trillion infrastructure bond. He made the call on Monday when he was being screened by the Senate. Mr Fashola was the first ministerial nominee to be screened on Monday. Over two…

Life in Abuja is getting worse for many residents amidst poorly maintained infrastructure and worsening security. The situation is same for both rural and urban dwellers of the Nigerian capital. Nnimmo Bassey, an environmental activist and poet, said he becomes sad whenever he returns from a trip outside the country…