IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said on Thursday the Senate would never surrender its constitutional powers to the Executive Arm of Government under any guise. Saraki noted that even when the Upper Chamber bends backward to accommodate issues such gesture should not be misconstrued to mean weakness or misinterpreted to mean that the constitutional powers assigned to the Senate do not exist. The Senate President was ruling on an Order raised by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, on whether or not the National Assembly has powers to alter the Appropriation Bill as presented by the Executive.

The Senate, Saraki insisted, would continue to defend the Constitution and ensure that its actions are covered by the Constitution at all times. Na’Allah drew the attention of his colleagues to a statement credited to thy Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who said the National Assembly erred to have altered the 2017 Appropriation Bill.

Osinbajo was quoted as saying the National Assembly has no right to introduce new projects or modify those contained in the Appropriation Bill. The acting President also expressed disappointment in the legislature for delaying the passage of the 2017 Appropriation Bill which he signed on Monday. Osinbajo said: “I am sure that we understand not just how to do it right, but to get it done in good time. “This last budget, the President presented it last December. Despite the assurances that it will be passed in by February, it was not passed until May.

“As it turned out, we were quite disappointed that it spent a bit of time before it was approved. And thereafter, we had to go into negotiations with the National Assembly in order to get it right.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has commended JAMB for blacklisting 48 Computer Based Test centres used for the 2017 UTME. The President of the union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said on Thursday in Lagos that the owners of the blacklisted centres should also be prosecuted. The 48 CBT centres were among more than 600 centres used for the conduct of the UTME nationwide in May.

JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, had on Wednesday announced the blacklisting of the centres for alleged involvement in extortion and ‘organised examination malpractice’ during the UTME. Oloyede said the decision was taken at the end of an enlarged meeting with external examiners and other stakeholders in the conduct of the examination. He also announced the cancellation of results of 50,000 candidates for alleged involvement in malpractice during the examination.

The ASUU boss said the development was a step in the right direction, describing it as “the way to go.’’

Mr Abdullahi Abubakar, the Laboratory Blood Safety Programme Manager, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), says blood donation lowers the risk of cancer. Abubakar disclosed this while speaking at a blood donation drive in Abuja on Thursday in commemoration of the World Blood Donor Day. According to him, the risk level of cancer drops in correlation with how often people donate blood. Quoting the Miller Keystone Blood Centre, he said that consistent blood donation could help in lowering the risk of liver, lung, colon, stomach and throat cancers.

He also said that blood donation could improve the overall cardiovascular health. “Donating blood regularly helps the males in particular to reduce the amount of iron in their blood, which reduces the chances of a heart attack by 88 per cent. “The high level of iron in the blood raises the chance of heart disease, but regular donation can reduce the risk of severe cardiovascular veins, such as stroke by 33 per cent,” he said. The programme manager further said that regular blood donation could improve fitness, explaining that donating one pint of blood (450 ml) takes out 650 calories from the donor’s body.

“Blood donation also enhances the production of new blood cells. “When blood is withdrawn, the donor’s body immediately begins to replenish the lost blood within 24 hours of donation.

The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday said his discharge and acquittal by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has vindicated him. Saraki, whose trial for false assets declaration started in 2015, said in a statement he personally signed, that the outcome of the trial has renewed the citizens’ faith in the courts. The decision, he added, has also restored the hope that the judiciary in the country could indeed provide sanctuary for all those who seek justice. The statement said, “You would recall that at the beginning of the trial, I maintained that I will clear my name.

The conclusion of this trial has vindicated my position. “With the outcome of this case, our faith is renewed in our courts and our hope is restored that the judiciary in our country could indeed provide sanctuary for all those who seek justice. “I thank the Almighty Allah, the ultimate Judge and the repository of all powers. He alone has brought about this victory. I am immensely grateful to all my colleagues in the National Assembly for their abiding support. “All through my trial, they demonstrated their strong conviction about the choice we all decided to make two years ago. I thank members of my family for their unflinching support. “I thank all friends and supporters back home in Kwara State and across the length and breadth of our country for their prayers and their sacrifices. My gratitude also goes to all members of my legal team for their tireless efforts to ensure the cause of justice is served.”

The Senate President said his acquittal by the CCT calls for celebration of the hopes that despite the challenges facing the country, “we are well on our way to building a country where the innocent needs not be afraid.”

The Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja on Wednesday discharged and acquitted the Senate President, Dr. Bulola Saraki, of all the 18 charges of false asset declaration and other related offences preferred against him. The two-man panel of the CCT led by its Chairman, Danladi Umar, unanimously upheld the no-case submission which Saraki filed after the prosecution closed its case with  48 exhibits tendered and the fourth and the last prosecution witness testified on May 4, 2017. Umar, in his lead ruling, exonerated Saraki of all the charges on, among other grounds, the failure of the prosecution to obtain Saraki’s statement and make it part of the proof of evidence was fatal to the case.

He described as “absurd” that neither Saraki’s statement nor the report of investigation said to have been carried out was produced before the tribunal. He agreed with the defence team led by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), that the prosecution’s evidence had been manifestly discredited during cross-examination by the defence. He added that the evidence adduced by the prosecution led by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) was “so unreliable that no reasonable tribunal could convict” based on it.

The court erupted in thunderous jubilation among the lawyers and supporters of the Senate President as soon as the tribunal made the pronouncement exonerating him on Wednesday.