Tag: Senate

The Senate has raised serious concerns over what it described as the “intensifying and intolerable persecution” of Nigerians in South Africa and Ghana, warning that continued attacks could strain diplomatic relations and threaten African unity.

This followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Aniekan Bassey, representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District, who presented a disturbing account of widespread violence, harassment and systematic targeting of Nigerians residing in both countries.

Senator Ekong Sampson’s call on the floor of the Senate for the immediate and safe release of abducted passengers on the Calabar–Oron waterways has recorded a breakthrough, following the successful rescue of all 14 victims.

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command, in a coordinated joint operation with operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), secured the release of the 14 passengers kidnapped by sea pirates along the Calabar–Oron waterways.

The Global President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba, has said the Senate’s decision on the electronic transmission of election results amounted to a rejection of accountability rather than of technology.

Speaking in an interview on Friday, Okaba said the Senate rejected the principle of finality in elections, insisting that votes cast at polling units should remain the same through the collation process to the final declaration.

“The Senate rejected the simple, powerful idea that the vote cast by the citizen in the sunlight should be the same vote counted at the end of the journey,” he said.