The Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, yesterday explained why the National Assembly cannot reconvene now.
They stated that as a prelude to resumption, the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission would have held a meeting.
Following this, the joint committees were also expected to meet with the joint Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Loans and Debts on the Eurobond loan request “after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.”
They added that none of these meetings had been held, implying that if lawmakers had reconvened, there would have been no report for them to consider.
“Until the committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers, it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj”, a statement joint signed by the Special Adviser (Media and
Meanwhile, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has called for an independent judicial panel of inquiry into the siege to the National Assembly by masked security operatives, penultimate yesterday.
Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, had in a swift reaction to the invasion, sacked Lawal Daura as Department of State Service (DSS) director general, for what the presidency described as an unauthorised action.
However, in a tweet on his personal @bukolasaraki handle, Saraki said, yesterday,: “The very serious questions about last Tuesday’s siege on the National Assembly can only be answered through a thorough and neutral investigation.
“I call on Mr. President to immediately institute an independent judicial panel of inquiry to look into that assault on our democracy.”
Publicity) to Senate President, Yusuph Olaniyonu, and the Special Adviser (Media and Public Affairs) to Speaker, Mr Turaki Hassan, said.
The presiding officers, however, said that the meetings have not taken place and that many legislators have also gone on Hajj, making the prospects for reconvening improbable.
In a related development, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared a three-day prayer and fasting over what it described as a threat to democracy in the country.
It stated that the decision was informed by the “recent political drama unfolding in our nation.”
The acting CAN General Secretary, Daramola Bade, in a statement, yesterday, directed churches nationwide to mobilise their members for the prayer from August 27-29 to seek God’s face concerning the social and political state of the nation and for the peaceful conduct of 2019 elections.
The Christian body asked the faithful to pray against the election of evil politicians in 2019, and also for peaceful co-existence and an end to bloodshed and violence across the nation.
It also admonished Christians to pray for “unity and mutual respect for each other within the three arms of the government.”
The statement read in part, “Following the recent political drama unfolding in our nation that is becoming really embarrassing and constituting big threats to our nascent democracy, the leadership of the CAN has called for a three-day prayer to be observed in all churches in Nigeria for divine protection for our nation and democracy.”
“In view of the above, we request all bloc chairmen, zonal chairmen, states’ chairmen, local and all church leaders to mobilize our members nationwide for three days of prayer from August 27 -29 to seek the face of God concerning the social and political state of our nation and for peaceful conduct of 2019 election,” it said.
The CAN also asked the churches to pray for divine direction for the political leaders and for the release of Boko Haram captives, including Leah Sharibu and the remaining Chibok girls.
“We are to pray for economic prosperity of the nation and deliberate effort of the government towards providing gainful employment for the teeming population of unemployed youths in Nigeria.
“For the church’s victory over the forces of darkness that are working against the wellbeing of the Church in Nigeria and for the unity of the church and that those causing destabilisation would repent from their evils and pursue unity or risk divine judgment,” the CAN implored.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja