Senate breaks protocol for Eagles

Posted by admin Legislature, Senate Tuesday, February 12th, 2013

By ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja

Senate President, David Mark, yesterday, broke parliamentary protocol when he led the Senate to observe a standing ovation in the chamber in honour of the Super Eagles. The Super Eagles pipped the Stallions of Burkina Faso 1–0 to lift the Africa Cup of Nations Cup after 19 years on Sunday.

In parliamentary tradition, the Senate president does not stand up during plenary, except in very rare cases. But Mark broke that tradition yesterday when he stood up in the chamber to cheer the superlative performance of the Super Eagles. Neither do senators, too. Clapping is strictly forbidden in the chamber. But the Senate set that tradition aside during the auspicious time yesterday. Earlier, Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), had led the chamber with three ‘hurrays’ to the Super Eagles; that was followed by prolonged clapping.

This followed a motion by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, which was supported by the remaining 107 senators with the exception of the Senate president. Recounting his experience at the final of the AFCON Cup in South Africa last weekend, the Senate president expressed dismay that Nigeria is surrounded by enemies, as leaders of African countries in the State Box rooted strongly for Burkina Faso to lift the cup. He also informed senators reasons Coach Stephen Keshi resigned immediately after the Sunday’s victory.

“I spoke to Keshi this morning and he confirmed to me that he actually said he has resigned. He said the reason is because there is too much interference. “Before the final tournament on Sunday, there was a lot of pressure on him that he must accept foreign technical team or foreign technical advisers and he said he is opposed to it because he has got all that it needs in this country and that there are Nigerians who can work with him and he doesn’t see the gain in bringing foreigners.

“He said he was sorry he had to actually put in his resignation. But I think he is amenable; he is prepared to rescind it provided we don’t force foreign technical partners on him. And I think once we allow him and give him the team to manage, we should give him the free hand to manage the team.

“Whatever way he goes to get the result that should not be our problem because once we begin to meddle in the way he is going to run and manage the team…once we give him the task, we should give him a free hand to accomplish the task and bring the result. “I think this Senate must be unanimous on that. The Sports Ministry or the administrators must give him a free hand to bring us the result we want.

“The disposition of other nations towards Nigeria whilst I was there, surprisingly in the State Box, almost all the countries were supporting Burkina Faso; for some inexplicable reason,” the Senate president reported. “It shows that people believe that we have the potential; people believe that we are great and we must show this greatness not only in words but even in deeds. Because we are always going about saying saying we are the giant the Africa; we have to prove that we are truly giant of Africa in every sphere of life…”

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