The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: NIGERIAN SENATE

  • NAF Crash: Senate, Reps Launch Probe Into Military Aircraft Maintenance

    NAF Crash: Senate, Reps Launch Probe Into Military Aircraft Maintenance

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Senate and House of Representatives have resolved to investigate the maintenance and airworthiness of Nigerian Air Force aircraft following a crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, which reportedly claimed 25 lives.

    The Senate adopted the resolution on the resumption of plenary after a motion sponsored by the Chairman of its Committee on Air Force, Senator Osita Ngwu, who raised concerns over recurring military aircraft accidents and aviation safety.

    Ngwu recalled that an Air Force ATR-42 aircraft, with registration number NGR 931, crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, on October 5, 2026, while on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos.

    Lawmakers expressed concern over the loss of military personnel in aircraft accidents, questioning the maintenance of military planes, the condition of ageing fleets and compliance with operational safety requirements.

    The Senate stressed that the airworthiness of military aircraft was essential to national security, intelligence operations and defence readiness.

    It warned that failure to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the latest crash could undermine efforts to prevent similar incidents.

    As part of its resolutions, the Senate urged the Federal Government to increase funding for regular aircraft maintenance and the replacement of ageing planes.

    It also mandated its committees on Air Force and Aviation to visit the crash site, engage with Air Force authorities and conduct a comprehensive assessment of the serviceability and airworthiness of aircraft in the presidential and military fleets.

    The upper chamber further called on the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to investigate both the immediate and underlying causes of the crash and make their findings public.

    The House of Representatives also resolved to investigate the incident following a motion sponsored by the Chairman of its Committee on Air Force, Kabiru Rurum.

    The House equally called for an audit of aircraft in the Air Force fleet and improved funding to ensure proper maintenance.

    The investigations are expected to examine aircraft safety and maintenance practices, with the aim of identifying possible lapses and preventing future accidents.

  • Tinubu Sends NDLEA Reform, Safety Investigation Bills To Senate

    Tinubu Sends NDLEA Reform, Safety Investigation Bills To Senate

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    President Bola Tinubu has forwarded several bills to the Senate for consideration, including proposals to reform the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and amend the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Act.

    The bills were conveyed to the Senate by its President, Godswill Akpabio, in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

    One of the proposals, the NDLEA Bill 2026, seeks to provide a consolidated legal framework for the agency’s operations and strengthen its powers, including its capacity to investigate individuals suspected of involvement in illicit drug-related activities.

    Another proposal, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Amendment Bill 2026, seeks to amend the existing 2022 law to make the bureau an independent authority and expand its mandate.

    The bill also proposes transferring supervisory oversight of the bureau to the Presidency and restructuring its administration.

    Tinubu also transmitted the National School of Government Bill 2026, which seeks to repeal the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria Act and establish a National School of Government.

    The proposed institution is expected to serve as a centre for governance training, public sector capacity development and institutional strengthening.

    In addition, the President submitted a bill seeking to domesticate the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their two Additional Protocols of 1977, which provide protections for victims of armed conflict.

    The proposal also covers the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which provides the legal framework for prosecuting genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.

    The bills will be considered by the Senate as part of the legislative process.

  • Press Release: Igwesi commends Senate on electronic transmission of election results

    Press Release: Igwesi commends Senate on electronic transmission of election results

    Press Release: Igwesi commends Senate on electronic transmission of election results

    A former Member of Federal House of Representative, Chief U.S.A Igwesi has commended the Senate for bowing to the pressure of Nigerians on the electronic transmission of results, insisting that democracy is all about the will of the people and the people must be carried along while representing them.

    Chief Igwesi in a Statement in Enugu observed that by that action, the Senate and indeed the entire members of national Assembly has reactivated and rejuvenated the process of feedback mechanism which is the hall mark of the Social Contract they had with the people during the electioneering campaign.

    He however observed that for Nigerians to keep the democratic tenets alive, they should always be vigilant, contribute and participate in whatever our elected representatives are doing on their behalf and enjoined them to always celebrate the opportunity offered to them by committees’ public hearings to vent their views.

    The former leader of Enugu State House of Assembly insisted that electronic transmission of results is not only congruous to electronic voting but will definitely give a bite to our faulty electoral process.

    He however tasked the harmonization or conference Committee of both Chambers to fast track the process so that the clerk of the National Assembly can immediately transmit a clean copy of the bill to the President for onward assent.

    The former lawmaker reiterated that INEC is constitutionally independent but have further demonstrated her faith in the power of the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Law to the benefit of Nigerians whose leadership recruitment process has been a sham but however congratulated the mainstream media, social media, Nigeria Labour Congress, Non-Governmental Organizations and indeed the entire Nigerians for the pressure they mounted on the senate that enabled them to see reasons to go the way of e-transmission.