WHAT to expect from the seventh National Assembly emerged yesterday as the Senate unveiled its agenda for Nigerians in the new dispensation.

When full legislative business begins, the National Assembly will again for the second time in less than two years amend the 1999 Constitution to address growing agitations against some perceived grey areas in the foremost national legal document.

Only last week, South-West senators, after a meeting on emerging national issues, declared the constitution as outdated.

Before now, the legislature had been beating its chest for amending the constitution.

But yesterday, Senate President David Mark hinted that constitution and the controversial revenue sharing formula would top the work of the Senate.

Mark stated this when he inspected the Senate chamber to ascertain its readiness ahead of the resumption of the Upper House today.

“The issue of revenue formula has been on the table for years and I assure you that it is a constitutional issue. We are amending the constitution. Anything that can be amended, anything that is not in the best spirit of national unity at the moment, and it is not just the revenue formula. So, there is no question of picking out revenue formula as just an issue. It is a constitutional issue,’’ he said.

The exchange with journalists went thus:

You just carried out an inspection of the Senate, are we ready for sitting?

We are. Are there not seats in the chamber?

We are tidying it up for tomorrow (today’s) session.

Are you satisfied?

It is ok.

What are we expecting tomorrow?

We are expecting to sit.

I am talking in terms of communication from the President?

Well, I am sure he will send some list to us, ministerial list. I hope he sends it.

Are we expecting to get the full list of principal officers?

I think so. We should.

Which zone is producing the Senate Leader? We hear there is a division in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the matter?

But where did you say the division is coming from? If you do know the zone producing the Senate Leader, how did you know there is division? I do not know about that. That is not my understanding of what is happening.

Are you debating Boko Haram issue tomorrow?

If it is matter of urgent national importance, it will be discussed.

What about the governors’ stand on the new minimum wage?

Why? Allow me to do what is legislative. Am I a governor?

Sir, are you worried about the Boko Haram attacks?

I am not worried by anything. I am just worried by the way we are going to move forward as fast as possible and I sure you are also worried about that.

Tell us, who you are going to work with as Senate Leader?

I will work with whoever the leader of the Senate is.

Mark further said the security challenges facing the nation would top the Senate agenda as it reconvenes for the plenary session today. He solicited the cooperation of Nigeria’s former colonial master, Britain to tackle the menace.

Receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Andrew Lloyd in Abuja yesterday, Mark said Nigeria would be delighted to explore United Kingdom’s approach to insecurity in order to arrest the situation.

Mark, who reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to ensuring adequate security for the citizenry, said the Senate would do everything within the law to improve on the situation.

He affirmed that all democratic institutions were being strengthened to ensure that “democracy is not only sustained but entrenched in our culture.”

He appreciated the support of the international community towards the conduct of the last April elections, saying, “we will continue to improve on our electoral processes and ensure that democratic ideals are upheld.”

Earlier, Lloyd praised Nigeria for the successful conduct of the 2011 general election and called for its sustenance in the future.

He described Nigeria as a champion of democracy in Africa and urged other countries in the continent to emulate it.

Also, yesterday, Mark received the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs. Anna Candida Perez, who solicited Nigeria’s support for her country’s candidate for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) top position.

Perez called for mutual cooperation between Nigeria and Brazil, especially in areas of economy, commerce and agriculture.

Meanwhile, the Senate is alleged to have come under intense lobby from some ministerial nominees ahead of their screening this week.

Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi East), told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the upper chamber would carry out a rigorous exercise to ensure that only the best emerged for the offices.

“We have been under intense pressure by lobbyists and political hired mercenaries to stop some nominees from being cleared or to disqualify
some nominees by asking questions to embarrass them and stop them.
They have given many of us sleepless nights with offer of millions of
naira so as to discredit some nominees.
“But to some of us, this will not in anyway affect the screening as it will follow the normal pattern. Once they scale through
security screening, which normally would have taken care of their moral
and integrity, ours is to ask questions on their state of intelligence
and plans for Nigeria. We have also noticed that there are political opponents and those, whose business interests are being threatened by the reforms, are involved in this cause to settle business scores.
I believe that majority of the senators that I have interacted with believe in President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation programmes and will not
allow any of us to be used.”

-Guardian

Posted by admin on Jun 27 2011. Filed under House, Legislature, Senate. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry