Politics
Poor Preparation, Absence Of Lawmakers Stall Debate In House Of Reps
Some bills and motions slated for debate in yesterday’s plenary at the House of Representatives were stepped down as the legislators who sponsored the bills and motions were absent at proceedings.
The bills and motions were stepped down when the Deputy Speaker of the house, Rep. Ahmed Wase, who presided over the sitting, called the members to lead the debate.
Some of the members were not on the floor while others approached the Chairman House Committee on rules and Business to ask that the bills and motions be stepped down for further consultations.
The nine bills and motions, as listed on the Order Paper for debate, were stepped down as a result of the absence of lawmakers and poor preparation.
The bills are – “A Bill for an Act to Provide for Upgrade and Conversion of Iron and Steel Company Clinic, Ajaokuta, to a Federal Teaching Hospital, Ajaokuta, to Provide Facility for Healthcare Services and Medical Training for students of the Federal University, Lokoja; and for Related Matters (HB.1207) (Rep. Lawal Muhammed Idirisu) for Second Reading).
“A Bill for an Act to Repeal the National War College Act, Cap.N82, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Enact the National Defence College Bill; and for Related Matters (HB. 1143), sponsored by Rep. Aminu Ashiru Mani for Second Reading.
“A Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission Act, Cap. N117, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and for Related Matters (HB. 868) – (Rep. Dozie Ferdinand Nwankwo) for Second Reading.
“A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to make the Vice President and Deputy Governors Act for the President and Governors respectively in official functions; and for Related Matters (HB. 997) (Rep. Olajide Olatubosun for Second Reading.
“Urgent Need to Investigate the Clandestine Operations of the Agencies Responsible for Land Allocation, Administration, and Development Control in the Federal Capital Territory by Rep. James Adisa Owolabi:
“Need to Ascertain the Progress of Poverty Alleviation and Youth Empowerment Programmes in the country, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Idahosa.
“Need to Establish a Unity School in Surulere 11, Federal Constituency of Lagos State, sponsored by Rep. Shoyinka Abiola Olatunji:
“Need to Complete Omoku–Egbeda–Uju–Awara–Obosima–Owerri Road Project, sponsored by Rep. Uchechuku Nnam–Obi.
Reacting to the development, the Majority Leader of the house, Rep. Ado Doguwa (APC-Kano), urged his colleagues to always liaise with the house committee chairman on rules and business.
He said that the chairman of rules and business committee must get in touch with relevant members so that bills are not put on schedule only to be stepped down because the member is not on the floor of the House.
He said this mostly affects “Bills that are meant for second reading, second reading bills are very fundamental, it is when a member is expected to debate the general principles of the Bill.
“All members should please take it very seriously and be more dutiful when time comes for any bill to be taken for second reading,’’ he said.
Also, the minority Leader of the house, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu (PDP-Delta), urged members to always check their mails as the committee on rules and business do send messages to alert member ahead of plenary.
“I align myself with the submission of the House leader, but also let us refresh our memory that on this floor, members accused the Rules and Business Chairman of being selective in listing bills that are before him.
“I think what he has tried to do is to ensure that everybody is given equal representation in terms of listing their bills.
“Members should always check their mails, emails are sent before sitting. I think some members do not go through their mails,’’ he said.
The Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, said that the bills that were stepped down will not be rescheduled again until the sponsors explain their absence on the floor of the house.
“I think the observation brought by the leader (Doguwa) is getting quite serious. Out of the good number of Bills that has been scheduled today, majority of the members are not available to present them.
“I think we will not reschedule them again until they have cogent explanations as to why we should.
“For that reason, I am inviting all those who are not here to present their bills to a meeting maybe within this week,’’ he said.
Wase, however, said that”A bill for an Act to Amend the Immigration Act, Cap. I1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Provide for Payment of all Monies Received by the Service into the Federation Account, in accordance with Section 162 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to Establish the Nigerian Immigration Patrol Border Patrol Agent as a specialised Directorate in the Nigeria Immigration Service to Patrol, Maintain Surveillance, Conduct Borderline, Watch and Prevent Persons from Entering or Leaving Nigeria without Permission and to Provide for Deployment of Border Technology to Facilitate the Prevention of Illegal Migrants through Nigeria’s Porous Borders; and for Related Matters (HBs.201, 774 and 1156), sponsored by Rep. Dachung Musa Bagos, Rep. Benjamin Bem Mzondu and Rep. Armayau Abdulkadir for Second Reading”, was stepped down based on the advice of the leadership of the house as the Federal Government was in the process of privatizing the asset.
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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