The ongoing face-off between the Senate and the executive arm of government has attained a frightening crescendo.
The Senate, at the weekend, appeared to have dug in for what could be a protracted tussle. Executive bills, special requests from the Presidency, including nominations are expected to fall casualties in the dirty battle.
Following the huge drop in anticipated revenue upon which the N6trn budget was largely based, the Presidency, it was learnt is preparing an amendment. But sittings of the Senate may suffer serious disruptions after its current Sallah recess, as a result of the trial of its two Presiding Officers, a situation that could frustrate the amendment and any other request from the executive arm.
The Senate is expected to resume plenary sittings July 12, 2016.
“I can conveniently tell you that we are ready for the executive this time. The matter is simple. They cannot eat their cakes and still have it. The executive believes that it can impose a Senate President on the House. It won’t happen. So, as far as the overwhelming majority of Senators are concerned, nothing like the appointment of Senate President Pro-Tempore will happen on the floor of this Senate. If the two Presiding officers are not around, we will close the chamber, until such a day one of them would be available,” a senator from the Like Minds group vowed.
Hopes of a likely emergence of a Senate President Pro-Tempore, to preside over plenary in the absence of Saraki and Ekweremadu, was dashed, yesterday, following the opposition of many senators to the idea. The Like Minds, comprising over 80 senators have already resolved to shoot down any such move.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, will face trial beginning Monday, July 11, 2016, over allegation of forgery.
According to Senate Rules, plenary sittings would only hold with a Presiding Officer to guide the day’s proceedings. And in the absence of the two such officers, the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President, Senate can only sit, if it appoints a Senate President Pro-Tempore.
Rule 27 of Senate Standing Order states: “In the absence of the President of the Senate and Deputy President of the Senate, such senator as the Senate may elect for the purpose shall preside. Such senator shall be known as ‘President Pro-Tempore’.”
Chairman of Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Sam Anyanwu, who sent his reaction on the matter via text message said: “There is nothing like that and it cannot happen.”
The Chairman of Senate Committee on Banking and Other Financial Institutions, Rafiu Ibrahim, said: “It is a blatant lie.” (The Guardian)
Well, well well! That is fine by me.Senators Rafiu Ibrahim and Sam Anyawu can go back to their constituency and the most HONOURABLE thing..RESIGN their seats in the SENATE and not come back lailai.
How about that?Simple, very simple. You know that thing democracy can be very exasperating sometimes.If not how can an averagely clerver people try to make untenable argument of fraternity even in the face PURE CRIMINAL ACT?
Like they facelessly said they will cripple the national interest to hold on to an old fraternal criminal order in the SENATE,come on, Rafiu and sam. Do you guys have anything ethical moral squabbles? I bet not and it’s very apparent.
Now, this is personal and very much so, Rafiu and Sam, unless you guys are playing fair, it’s your spirits against the toiling masses of Nigeria.You people took car loans, ward robe allowance, accommodation, travelling allowance to mention just a few only to turn round and threaten to cripple the very country you claim to be serving..Rafiu,Sam, none of you WILL KNOW PEACE, will not PROSPER!!
Very cheap reasoning from rasheed akangbe. You do not comment on issues as if you are just arriving Nigeria from Honolulu or had no internet wherever you were to follow the events between the Nigerian Senate and the Executive arm. From day one the cabal in APC have not hidden their displeasure over the choice of the Principal Officers of the Upper legislative house. This has resulted in the CCT trial of Saraki and the present trial of the duo Saraki and Ekweremadu. The unfortunate thing is that those manipulating PMB are doing so to the detriment of the nation and trying to replay the “the President is indisposed saga of the Yaradua era”. That saga hid the truth from Nigerians until it was becoming an international embarrassment.And the truth is the cabal was not doing it to protect Yaradua or Nigerians but for their selfish ends. Those skilled in political maneuvering and manipulation are at the game again and usually whoever is the President normally looses. President Buhari should rise to the occasion and end this show of shame. The elders of my village say ” the elderly can not be at home and the fire wood meant to cooked dinner is drenched by rain”. APC is loosing it and PMB can not fold his hands because he will loose the confidence of Nigerians. Eighty Senators means a new political Party ready to adopt and team up with any of those who lost out to Buhari in the APC’s controversial Primaries. I make bold to say that the likes of Atiku, Kwankwanso, etc are waiting in the wings to cash on any opportunity. APC should learn from what internal wrangling did to PDP; a party that held sway for 16 years. This internal wranglings most of the time is just created by party over lords who MUST be obeyed. The fact remains that the ability to balance political calculations/maneuvering with good governance is the reason for the success of democracy in the nations where we borrowed democracy from. Whether it is true or not that Saraki and Ekweremadu forged anything, pursing that course of action now is seen by majority as witch hunting and diversionary from making Nigerians feel less of the economic meltdown. APC should stop bickering and give Nigerians basic dividends of democracy. Ask the common man in the street, they will tell you that APC is playing politics with the welfare of Nigerian. They should not forget that 2019 is by the corner and just like Nigerians rose to vote out PDP, they can also rise to Vote out APC because a hungry man is an angry man and lacks rational reasoning capacity.