SENATE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

7TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FIRST SESSION
No. 73
453
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SENATE OF THE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS
Tuesday, 28th February, 2012
1.
The Senate met at 10:42 a.m. The Senate President read prayers.
2.
Votesand Proceedings:
The Senate President announced that he had examined the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday,
23rd February, 2012 and approved same.
By unanimous consent, the Votes and Proceedings were approved.
3.
27th February, 2012
Senator David A. B. Mark, eCON,
The President of the Senate,
Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
National Assembly Complex,
Abuja.
Your Excellency,
LEITER OF APPRECIATION
I write on behalf of myself and my entirefamily to express our deep appreciation to you for your
visit to condole us, through a special delegation, over the death of our beloved family
member-the Late Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Salihu.
PRINTED BY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESS, ABUJA
Tuesday. 28th February,
454
2012
No. 73
Similarly, my appreciations goes to all my distinguished colleagues who through personal visits
to our home had commiserated with ns. We appreciate also all those that have sympathized with
us through text messages, phone cails and other media.
We have indeed lost a pillar in our jamil» as decreed by Allah and it is such a painful exit but
we have taken solace in Allah as the Best of all comforters. He has comforted us tremendously
through your great show of suppon at the period of our grief
Thank you very much and may Allah reward you all abundantly as we seek Him to forgive the
departed.
Once again, accept our appreciations and the assurances of my highest regards.
Yours truly,
Signed:
Senator Zaynab A. Kure
4.
Confirmation of nominations:
Motion made: That the Senate do consider the request of Mr. President, Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces of the Federation, for the confirmation of the following nominees for
appointment as Members of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission:
SIN
1.
2.
3.
NAME
STATE
Alhaji Bello Usman Maitambari, CON
Dr. Rafiq Olayiwola Ogunbambi, OON ,rnni
Rev. Ajibola E. Fagboyegun
Kebbi
Lagos
Ondo
REMARK
Fresh Appointment
Fresh Appointment
Re-Appointment
(Deputy Senate Leader).
Question put and agreed to.
Request referred to Committee on National Planning, Economic Affairs and Poverty Alleviation
to report within two (2) weeks.
5.
Motion:
The Dwindling State of Nigerian. Football- The Needfor Decisive Action to Reclaim Its Lost
Glory:
Motion made: That the Senate notes with serious concern, the sorry state of Nigerian football,
the game that unites all Nigerians together inspite of her diversity;
notes also that Nigerian football over the years has continued to slide despite the huge resources
the Federal Government is investing in the game;
notes further, that the slow decline of Nigerian football fortunes started with elimination at home
of the Super Eagles from 2012 African Nations Cup, followed by a similar ousting, at home of
Eyimba Football Club of Aba from CAF Champions League, Sunshine Stars of Akure also lost
at home to signal their elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup while the Super Falcons
also surrendered their claim to absolute supremacy in the continent's women football with their
exit from the All African Games and the London 2012 Olympics;
observes that Nigerian [earns in the past one and half years for instance, only qualified for the
women World Cup and the under 20 World Cup, both of which the Nigerian teams did not go
far, the under 17 team did not even qualify for the Continental Championship let alone making
it to Mexico Global final;
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observes also the inability of Nigeria 10 qualify for the African Championship (CHAN) which
is for players who ply their rrade iII local leagues of the respective African Counrries with two
edition gone, Nigeria has never qualified poiming 10 the depth that the game has sunk imo in
Nigeria;
observes further that the Domestic Premier League is disorganized and running epileptically with
no definite football calendar. Fixtures constantly altered on the excuse that there are clubs
playing continental matches as if other African counrries don't have teams on the same
assignment;
notes that beyond disorganizations of the league, had been the squabbles over marketing rights,
robbing the league of its livewire; the Nigerian Football Association are more engrossed in a
battle for survival than marshalling plans to advance Nigerian football;
concerned that Nigeria football in past had been in the front burner in Africa and had fared very
well in all competitions having ranked 5th in FIFA ranking in 1994 and the most entertaining
side at the USA '94 world Cup, won the under 17 world cup in 1985, 1993 and 2007, won the
Olympic Gold Medal in 1996, African Cup of Nation in 1994 and several silver and Bronze
medal in subsequent Nations Cup Tournament and the CAF Champions league cup victory by
the people's elephant - Eyimba of Aba back to back;
alarmed at the recent FIFA ranking which Nigeria is named 56th in the world a coumry once
ranked 5th and the pains of Nigerians watching the 2012 Nations Cup without their darling Super
Eagles and will also watch the London Olympic games without the Dream Team V; and
worried that there will be a further slide if nothing drastic is done especially with the qualifiers
for the African Nation's Cup and the World cup around the corner.
The Senate accordingly resolves to:
(i)
urge the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) to work out incentives for the locally based
Footballers in order to tap the best in them and call on the players both foreign and local
based to be more patriotic when on national duties;
(ii)
urge the NFA to draw up a workable and acceptable Football Calendar for the domestic
Premier League and concentrate more on the administration of football in Nigeria rather
than engaging themselves in squabble over marketing rights and battle for survival;
(iii)
urge the NFA to provide adequate mechanism to scout for players for all cadres of the
national teams at the grass roots and foreign club sides.
(iv)
mandate its Committee on Sports and Social Development to organize a stakeholder's
summit to examine the reasons for the downward trends in Nigerian football with a view
to making specific and general recommendations to the Senate (Senator Adamu I.
Gumba - Bauchi South).
Debate:
Proposed Resolution (i):
Question: That the Senate do urge the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) to work out
incemives for the locally based footballers in order to tap the best in them and calIon the players
both foreign and local based to be more patriotic when on national duties - Negatived.
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2Sth February,
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No. 73
Proposed Resolution (ii):
Question: That the Senate do urge the NFA to draw up a workable and acceptable football
calendar for the domestic Premier League and concentrate more on the administration of football
in Nigeria rather than engaging themselves in squabble over marketing rights and battle for
survival - Negatived.
Proposed Resolution (iii):
Question: That the Senate do urge the NF A to provide adequate mechanism to scout for players
for all cadres of the National teams at the grass roms and foreign club sides - Negatived.
Proposed Resolution (iv):
Question: That the Senate do mandate its Commirtee on Sport and Social Development to
organize a stakeholder's summit to examine the reasons for the downward trends in Nigerian
football with a view to making specific and general recommendations to the Senate.
Amendment Proposed:
Leave out the Proposed Resolution (iv) and insert a new Proposed Resolution (iv) as follows:
"That the Senate do mandate the Committee on Sports and Social Development to immediately
organize Public Hearing to examine the reasons for the downward trend in Nigerian sports in
general and football in particular, with a view to making specific and general recommendations
to the Senate" (Senator James E. Manager =Delta South).
Question that the amendment be made, put and agreed to.
Resolved:
That the Senate do mandate the Committee on Sports and Social Development to immediately
organize Public Hearing to examine the reasons for the downward trend in Nigerian sports in
general and football in particular, with a view to making specific and general recommendations
to the Senate (S/Res/038/01l12).
6.
Appointment
and Inauguration
of the National
Council on Public Procurement
(NCPP):
Consideration of Motion deferred to next Legislative Day.
7.
National Grazing Reserves Commission
(Establishment,
etc) Bill 2012 (SB.60):
Consideration of Bill deferred to next Legislative Day.
8.
Erosion Control and Prevention
Commission
(Establishment,
etc) Bill 2012 (SB.54):
Consideration of Bill deferred to next Legislative Day.
9.
Adjournment:
Motion made: That the Senate do now adjourn till Wednesday, 29th February,
a. m. (Deputy Senate Leader).
2012 at 10.00
Adjourned accordingly at 1: 13 p.m.
Dr. David A. B. Mark, GCON, fnim
Pres idem,
Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.