Empty Seats As Defeated Senators Shun Assembly

Date: 2015-05-10

EVENTS are becoming more interesting, or perhaps, worrisome for the 7th Senate as it gradually winds down. Many things appear to be falling apart for the red chamber.

Needless to say that things would have been positively different had the election Tsunami that swept majority of the old members not occurred.

Though many Peoples Democratic Party Senators lost out at the primaries, the impact was not much felt. At least, there were some assurances that the affected members would be sorted out if the PDPD were to return at the centre.

Reality finally dawned on all of them when those who managed to secure tickets massively lost out at the general elections and the hope of their party retaining power at the centre also dashed to pieces.

Since then, majority of sits have remained vacant, as only the strong at heart among the defeated Senators regularly make it to the chambers. Even some of the returnees have shunned the chamber for what they considered more pressing party issues.

In the last one month, the upper legislative house has become a shadow of itself; losing its once vibrant and bubbling character, while the usual radical, but entertaining contributions of such lawmakers as, Senator Smart Adeyemi and Ayogu Eze have given way to long faces.

In fact, there was massive evacuation of their personal belongings from the National Assembly complex last week. About seven cargo vehicles were spotted at the front of the office complex with tables, chairs, rugs, books and portraits that once adorned their office walls being loaded into them.

Fortunately for the country, the issue of quorum has not affected legislation. Bills are read, considered and passed without hitches. Not less than three bills were read the third time and passed last week. They include, National Agency for Great Green Wall (Establishment) Bill 2015, sponsored by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba; Oil and Gas Export Free Zones Authority (Amendment) Bill 2015, sponsored by Senator Odion Ugbesia; as well as Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Amendment bill 2015, sponsored by Senator Bassey Otu.

But while members battle with their personal problems, the Senate as a body is confronted with fresh challenges. One of them being the squabble with the Presidency over Constitution amendment.

Just four days ago, the Supreme Court ordered both the Federal Government and the National Assembly to maintain status quo ante in the suit brought before it by the Attorney-General of the Federation on behalf of the President, seeking to annul the amendments to the Nigerian Constitutional (Fourth Alteration Act 2015).

President Goodluck Jonathan had declined assent to the amendments after the National Assembly passed and transmitted the document to him. Instead, Mr. President had written back to the National Assembly, giving his reasons for not appending his signature to the amendments.

In reaction, the Senate in particular requested for the original copy of the bill that was transmitted to the Presidency. Meanwhile, the court has adjourned the case till June 18 to enable NASS members, who were conspicuously absent in court last Thursday to be served notice and therefore be present at the hearing.

With this 7th National Assembly terminating on June 3, it is now obvious that the case would be one of the first inheritances of the next Assembly. But while the cold war rages, some senators, who spoke to The Guardian have vowed to veto the bill should Mr. President trouble them further. How fast this threat would be executed remains a serious concern.

As if to sympathise with lawmakers on their many afflictions, power outage has become a regular occurrence, sometimes, disrupting proceedings. Sources close to the National Assembly Service Commission said the Commission was highly indebted to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

Hence, the Commission resorted to the use of generating set to power the entire National Assembly complex. But it was not clear why the management has chosen to embarrass lawmakers by regularly interrupting power during legislative sessions. Perhaps, it was their own subtle way of informing them that all is not well.

But in all of this, members of the All Progressives Congress were not moved. In fact, they are enveloped in the struggle for the next leadership of the Senate.

The contenders include, Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe State, North East); Ali Ndume (Borno State, North East); Ahmed Lawan (Yobe State, North East); Bukola Saraki, (Kwara State, North Central); Goerge Akume, (Benue, North Central) and Abdulahi Adamu, (Nasarawa, North Central).

Without doubt, the 7th Senate would be remembered for its political maturity and intrigues, but from all indications, the 8th promises to be more intriguing. Only time will tell, however, what the 8th Senate holds in store for the electorate.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Saliu Mustapha     Raji AbdulRasaq     Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board     Ilesha-Gwanara     Quranic Recitation Competition     Bursary     Bola Shagaya     Sulyman Age AbdulKareem     IQRA College     Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency     Olatunji Ibrahim     Lanre Issa-Onilu     Baba Issa     Aminu Adisa Logun     Joseph Offorjama     Mamatu Abdullahi     Funmilayo Oniwa     Bayo Onimago     Abiodun Abdulkareem     UNILORIN Alumni Association     Shettima     Baba-Isale     Zulkifli Ibraheem     Modupe Oluwole     Baruten     Mohammed Halidu     Kwara State Pension Board     KW-GIS     Kayode Laro     Ogbondoroko     Fola Consultant     Ayodele Olaosebikan     Fatimah Abdulkadir     Bond     Muhammed Aliyu     JUSUN     Tinubu     Pakata Development Association     20 Billion Bond     Aminat Omodara     Raheem Adaramaja     Abdullah Janet Amudat     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Toyin Sanusi     Abdullahi G. Mohammad     Sardauna Of Ilorin     Oba Sulaiman Asude     Aliyu Kora Sabi     MalHub     Elekoyangan     Maimunat Oniyangi     Maigida Soludero Transit     Fareedah Dankaka     ANCOPPS     Olam Food Ingredients     John Obuh     Dasuki Belgore     Olohungbebe     Aliyu U. Tilde     CELF     Hassan Saliu     Afolayan     Playing Host     New Naira Notes     Musibau Akanji     Oyawoye     Esinrogunjo     Ella Supreme Tissue Paper     Samari     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     Raliat Islamic Foundation     Emmanuel Bello     Oba Abdulrahim     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Share-Tsaragi     Ayo Adeyemi     Government High School Adeta    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Muideen Olaniyi Alalade     Computer Based Test     Kwara State Internal Revenue Service     Ridwan Agboola     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     SAPZ Project     Galadiman Ngeri     Bareke     Olushola Saraki     Alfa Modibo Belgore     Ishaq Salman     Joseph Offorjama     KWASAA     Kaiama     Ibrahim Taiwo     Abdulraufu Mustapha     International Aviation College     The Herald     Ishaq Abdulkarim     Face Masks     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Issa Oloruntogun     Gbemisola Oguntimehin     Wasiu Onidugbe     Village Alive Development Association     Hamidat Sulyman-Yusuf     Balogin Alanamu     Abdulrasheed Akogun     Photo News     Kwara Consultative Forum     Lawal Olohungbebe     Kawu Baraje     Kwara State Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     New Nigeria People’s Party     Adedipe     Oya State     Olajumoke Monsura Gafar     Ilorin East     Saheed Alakoso     Hamza Usman     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Osuwa     Sabitiyu Grillo     Lotus Bank     Odo-Owa     Sarafadeen Kayode Akorede     Alloy Chukwuemeka     John Kehinde Salako     Kuliyan Geri     Jimoh Olusola Imam     Ajia-Bako     Omu Aran     Mahfouz Adedimeji     Habeeb Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Arinola Lawal     Aminu Adisa Logun     Olusin Of Ijara Isin     Mumini Ishola Hanafi     Oyedepo     Isiaka Oniwa     Jimoh Saadudeen Muhammed     Sidikat Alaya     Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu     Ibrahim Mashood     Saadu Alanamu     IEDPU     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Tsaragi-Share     Oko-Erin     Borgu     Salihu Ajibola Ajia     Wahab Agbaje     SGBN     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants Ltd     Haruna Olawale Sulaiman     Oye Tinuoye     Mutawali