The plenary session of the Senate on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 started on a dramatic note as thugs invaded the Chamber and carted away the symbol of authority that is the Mace. The drama took place at the commencement of the session presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and at exactly 11:30am, the invaders struck and seized the Mace and escaped with it thus causing fear and commotion in the Complex.
Consequently, the Chamber went into a brief closed door session thereafter, plenary session continued unabated as the Senate cannot be intimidated said the Deputy Senate President. Responding to the incidence, the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yusuf Lasun led members of the House of Representatives on solidarity visit to the Senate Chamber.
The Deputy Senate President addressed both Chamber stating that armed thugs invaded the Senate, seized and escaped with the Mace; that will not deter the Senate but instead spur the law-makers in the discharge of their legislative mandate.
Responding on behalf of the Representatives, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon Lasun asserted that democracy cannot be strangled by any individual pretending to be champion of democracy. He added that he led his colleagues in solidarity with the Senate because whatever affects the Senate affects the House of Representatives and both Chambers will respond to such threat in unison. Accordingly, the Senate resolved to:
i) Direct all security Agencies in the country to recover the stolen Mace within 24 hours. Similarly, the House of Representatives has promised to adopt the resolution of the Senate to accord it the much needed legislative backing.
Meanwhile, the Red Chamber has debated and passed for second reading six Bills. Most of the Bills were among the legislation President Muhammadu Buhari declined assent to. They include:
1) A Bill for an Act to establish the National Assembly Budget and Research Office (NABRO) and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 656), sponsored by Sen. Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North). The Bill has been referred to the Committee of the Whole.
2) A Bill for an Act to make provision for Corporate Manslaughter and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 657), sponsored by Sen. Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North). The legislation has been referred to the Committee of the Whole.
3) A Bill for an Act to establish the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 658), sponsored by Sen. Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North). It has been referred to the Committee of the Whole.
4) A Bill for an Act to establish the National Post Graduate College of Medical Laboratory Science and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 659), sponsored by Sen. Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North). The Bill has been referred to the Committee of the Whole.
5) A Bill for an Act to establish the Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission and for other matter connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 660), sponsored by Sen. Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North). The legislation has been referred to the Committee of the Whole.
6) A Bill for an Act to establish the Chartered Institute of Human Capital Development of Nigeria and for connected matters therewith, 2018 (S.B. 661), sponsored by Sen. Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North). It has been referred to the Committee of the Whole.
On the contrary, the Senate has declined the second reading of the re-introduced “Bill for an Act to Amend the Provisions of the Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 to make provision for sequence of elections in Nigeria and for related matters, 2018 (S.B. 667)”, sponsored by Sen. Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi North). Most Senators that contributed to the debate on its general principles opposed its second reading and as such it was suspended.
Nevertheless, the Senate has also deliberated and passed two Motions that were consolidated into one in the cause of their debate. The Motions titled
:
1) The Exclusion of Zamfara State by the Federal Government in the distribution of 30, 380mt of grains from the National Strategic Reserve to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS), sponsored by Sen. Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central)
2) The need to include Ebonyi State and other States’ IDPs in the Federal Government Grains Distribution Scheme under the Special Relief Intervention Plan, sponsored by Sen. Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North). Both Motions sailed through with two prayers below:
i) Urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to with immediate effect approve a sizeable quantity of grains to Zamfara State and any other States in the current distribution of 30, 380mt of grains approved for distribution to the IDPs in the North-East and North-Central.
ii) Direct the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in conjunction with security agencies to conduct a holistic census of the people injured, raped, orphaned and widowed as a result of activities of armed bandits in the State with a view to assisting them through various interventions by well-meaning individuals, Nigerians, Corporate Bodies, MDAs, local and foreign bodies.
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