By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The Senate on Thursday expressed worries over the imminent collapse of Zungeru Bridge in Niger State, calling on the Ministry of Works to intervene, repair, rehabilitate and reconstruct the bridge to ensure smooth movement on it.

The Senate, which called on the Ministry of Works and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency ( FERMA) to as a matter of urgency fix the bridge, also urged the Ministry of Works and the Nigerian Railway Corporation ( NRC ) to conduct structural assessments of the old Zungeru bridge and put in place measures to avert further collapse.

Calling for the evaluation of the state of bridges across the country by relevant authorities, the red chambers resolved that contingency funds domiciled in the Ministry of Works and Service Wide Vote in the Ministry of Finance should be used on emergency basis towards refixing collapsed bridges across the country.

Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), who drew the attention of the Senate to the menace yesterday during plenary, lamented that the Zungeru Bridge, which is a critical Federal infrastructure in the country, providing access across the Kaduna River, had collapsed and due to its deteriorating condition and bad shape, traffic were been diverted to the old bridge, originally designed for railway use but currently serving both rail and motor vehicle traffic.

He added that as a result of the diversion, “the old bridge is under severe pressure, posing a significant threat of collapse, which could lead to catastrophic consequences, as over 1,000 vehicles pass through the route on a daily basis in order to facilitate movement of people, essential goods and food items.”

The diversion and disruption, according to him, caused by the current state of the bridge, “has invariably restricted human and economic activities, with food supplies particularly affected and heightened insecurity in the areas, thereby causing hardships on the residents and travelers as well”.

He warned that if urgent intervention measures were not put in place to address the infrastructural challenge, the continuous usage of the old bridge will lead to devastating social and economic consequences that could further aggravate insecurity and disrupt national supply chains, which will have a far-reaching effect on the well-being of the citizenry.

By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Caucus on Thursday appealed to warring factions in the party to sheath their sword and give room for resolution of the crisis.

Briefing journalists after a meeting in the Senate, the leader of the Caucus, Senator Abba Moro (Benue South) gave an insight into some of the resolutions reached.

According to Moro, “after surveying recent happening in the recent times within the party, we have resolved as Senate Caucus of the PDP to set an extended Caucus of the party involving some former governors, leaders of the Senate Caucus and some leaders of the party to interface with the various organs of the party with a view to resolving all matters that affect sustainability, survival and existence of the party.

 “PDP Senate Caucus resolved to undertake every effort that is necessary to ensure the survival of the PDP.

 “Consequently, the Caucus resolved to advise all party members that have cases in the court to withdraw such cases to make room for a more robust political resolution of the crises in the party, especially the desire to return to constitutional order for the party”.

He said the “PDP remains the only and one formidable opposition in this country. We must be ready as a party to provide an alternative platform to Nigerians for good governance.

 “On factionalization of the party the leader of the Caucus, Senator Abba Moro, (Senate Minority Leader) said that in the strict sense of it, the party is not factionalised, there are only contending tendencies within the party.

 “This is what we want to bring together because we cannot afford to be drifting apart in this trying moment for the Nigerian nation.

 “On personal ambition of members of the party which is affecting the fortunes of the party, Moro said in asking everybody to withdraw cases from the courts, it entails making sacrifices”, adding that “personal ambitions can only be achieved when there is a PDP that can offer us the platform to realize personal ambitions.

He said he expects anyone that has ambition to run for office in the current situation should “sheath the sword and make way for a peaceful resolution in the party because if there is no party you cannot realise your ambition on the platform of the party”.

By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The Northern Senators Forum; an umbrella body comprising the entire senators from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory yesterday denied orchestrating a plan to impeach the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio together with other principal officers of the Senate.

The Chairman of the Forum, Senator AbdullAziz Yar Adua who dismissed the reports as fake advised Nigerians to focus on issues bothering on national development and not baseless and unfounded reports,such as was yesterday reported by an online platform.

Senator Yar Adua (APC, Katsina Central) while reacting to the reports by northern Senators to impeach at the Senate Press Center, Abuja in company of Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South) said the Senate,under the leadership of Godswill Akpabio was conducting it’s proceedings without rancour and division, blaming the reports of Akpabio’s impeachment plot on mischief makers that means no good for the country.

“There’s no such plot,plan or an idea to impeach or topple the leadership of the Senate by anyone or group, especially the Northern Senators Forum who I’m their Chairman. Such reports should not only be discarded as baseless and unfounded but should be seen as the handiwork of mischief makers,who want to bring the name of Northern Senators Forum to disrepute.

“We are solidly behind the leadership of Godswill Akpabio,the Senate President. We have not had any rancour or division within our fold as Senators,so why should anyone think and align us with such information?”, the retired Army Colonel queried.

Speaking in the same vein, the Senate Committee Chairman on Media Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu expressed his displeasure with the online report, which surfaced in the early hours of yesterday claiming that the Northern Senators were aggrieved with the policies of the Federal Government, prompting the senators to move against the impeachment of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and other principal officers.

For Senator Adaramodu, ” I came to the Press Center with the Chairman of Northern Senators Forum, my respected colleague, Senator AbdullAziz Yar Adua to tell Nigerians that the report were ill conceived and of no value, considering the fact that all the entire senators are solidly behind the Senate leadership.”

He however advised Nigerians to pray for the government at all levels, saying that its success is not limited to those in power but the entirety of Nigerians.

On the hardship Nigerians are passing through following the federal government petroleum and tax reforms, the Ekiti lawmaker said, ” we, as the people’s representatives, are not unaware and oblivious of the sufferings orchestrated by the recent tax and petroleum reforms. We feel it as well because we are also part of the society. If you recall, the Senate summoned the Chief Tax Officer (the FIRS BOSS) Tuesday to explain the situation to us. We are also engaging the NNPC, together with our colleagues at the House of Representatives. So, very soon we will be through with them. And afterwards, we shall make our position as the legislative arm of government known to Nigerians.

However, a national assembly publication, Order Paper had reported earlier yesterday that security was beefed up yesterday at the National Assembly to avert the possibility of a forceful change of the Senate leadership; attributing the plot to northern senators that were aggrieved by Federal Government policies.