The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has told the Federal High Court, Abuja, that President Muhammadu Buhari has discretionary powers to forward names of appointed judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court to the Senate for confirmation. Malami's position was contained in a counter affidavit he…

Worried by the danger of having thousands of unemployed graduates roaming the streets of Nigerian cities in search of jobs amidst 13 years embargo on employment by the Federal Government, the Senate has moved to review the age limit for employment. The Senate urged the federal government to direct the Ministry of Labour, Employment and…

President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, temporarily halted proceedings of the Senate on Tuesday to rebuke Senators who had been breaching the social distancing rule advised by the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) to curb the spread of coronavirus. Lawan, who made the observation at the commencement of the session, had to temporarily…

A bill at the Nigerian Senate is seeking to strip presidents and vice presidents of immunity in criminal matters during their stay in office. The bill also suggested the same thing for governors and their deputies. The bill provides for qualification of the immunity clause to exclude immunity for public officers referred to in Section…

Nigerian lawmaker Senator Sani Musa said he did not consult anyone before introducing the controversial social media bill. "When I conceived this Bill I did not consult with anybody," a tweet on the Nigerian Senate's handle quoted Musa to have said during a public hearing on the bill in Abuja. The public hearing was attended…

A Nigerian lawmaker Senator Ignatius Longjan has died aged 75. Longjan represented Plateau South Senatorial District of Plateau State in the Nigeria Senate. “It is true, our father and distinguished Senator representing Plateau South is death, baba died after battling with illness for a long time in Turkey,” his former chief of staff John Dafa’an…

It is no longer news that a bill seeking for an Act to make special provision for Federal grants to Lagos State in recognition of its strategic socio-economic significance and other connected purposes was rejected by the 8th Senate. The bill, which was then sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central), purportedly sparked huge uproars…

Nigeria's Senate Wednesday received the final report for the 2020 budget. The chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Jubril Barau, presented the final report for consideration and passage. The senate president, Ahmad Lawan, while receiving the report said copies of the Appropriation Bill would be duplicated and distributed to members on Thursday. He also…

International Press Institute (IPI) has opposed Nigeria's proposed legislation to regulate social media and the use of hate speech in the country. "The International Press Institute (IPI, Nigerian Chapter) firmly understands the implications of any law with contentious provisions for free speech, press freedom, media independence, safety of journalism practitioners and the unhindered operations of…

In light of recent legislative proposals in Nigeria’s National Assembly on regulating Social Media to address the subject of hate speech and fake news, many technology experts and other users of the digital platforms are worried but don’t have a clue about how to make their opinion count in the law-making process. The best way…

Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, the sponsor of the much-criticised hate speech bill said the aspect that proposes death penalty for defaulters of the law will be amended. Abdullahi in a statement said he is reviewing the bill to satisfy the wishes of Nigerians. "We have followed closely arguments for and against the hate speech bill, and…

Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has opposed the death penalty proposed for hate speech offenders by the Senate. Speaking at the end of the meeting of the governors in Abuja on Wednesday night, NGF vice-chairman and Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, said that no governor has come out openly to support the death penalty as punishment…