Proposed defection bill unsettles aggrieved PDP senators.

Date: 2014-04-07

The decision of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution to alter sections 68 and 109 in the proposed amendments is currently generating ripples in the upper chamber.

The committee, led by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu,  last week submitted additional provisions which sought to alter certain sections of the document.

Specifically, it sought to alter sections 68 and 109 to empower the Clerk of the National Assembly and those  of the states Houses of Assembly to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission in writing within seven days of a vacancy in any of the chambers arising from resignation,  death or defection.

Members of the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, who would be the beneficiary of the planned defection moves of some aggrieved Peoples Democractic Party senators in the red chamber, have, however, vowed to stop the passage of the bill.

The opposition senators argued that the proposed bill was a smart way of starting the process of declaring vacant, the seats of defecting senators.

Senators Ganiyu Solomon and Kabiru Marafa urged their members to reject the bill because it was unneessary since the Senate had passed an earlier proposal.

But Senators Ita Enang, Abdul Ningi,  James Manager and Ike Ekweremadu,  however, said the passage of the bill was crucial to further strenghten democracy.

Enang said, “The constitution is not made for a person and could not be deemed to have been made for a person. This amendment is not being made with any person in  mind.

“I am in agreement with the proposal and it is not in any manner restrictive and  I pray that we adopt it. Secondly, there are lots of amendments proposed by the committee in this bill and they do not seem to attract enough attention as the first amendment.”

Attempts to speak with any of the 11 affected senators on the issue were unsuccessful, as those who picked their calls declined comments.

However,  Senate President, David Mark, had ruled that the senators would vote on the matter on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a non governmental organisation, Team Goodluck Nigeria,  has commended Justice Ademola Adeniyi of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for asking the defecting members of the House of Representatives to resign their positions.

The group, in a statement in Abuja signed by the National Secretary,  Mr. Okey Anozie, described the judgment as a landmark judgment that should strengthen the nation’s democracy.

The group  commended the judge for his “well researched judgment.”

It also wondered why some opposition leaders were faulting the judgment that was delivered with the backing of the constitution.

The group said, “Why is it that each time a judgment is against the opposition they will shout blue murder or that justice has been miscarried? But when the judgment is in their favour they will applaud the judiciary as being the last hope of the common man.

“This is double talk, and it is time Nigerians see the hypocrisy of the opposition. Section 68 (1) of the Constitution, as amended, is very clear on the matter.”

It, therefore, called on the leadership of the APC “to call their Honourable members to order to honourably vacate their seats immediately, bearing in mind that this judgment is over 48 hours and they are yet to obey the court order.

“Their continued stay in the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly is an embarrassment to us Nigerians and the international community as a whole,” the group added.

Calls put through to Senators Aisha Al – Hassan, Ali Ndume, Shaaba Lafiaji, Bukola Saraki and Adamu Abdullahi were not answered, while Magnus Abe could not be reached on the phone.

Also, text messages sent to them on the issue were also not replied except the media aide to Saraki, Mr. Bankole Omisore, who promised to study the contents of the message and  get back to our correspondent. But he had yet to reply as of the time of filling this report.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Mamatu Abdullahi     Owode Market     Asa     Pius Abioje     The Herald     Elerinjare     Abdulrahman Abdulrasak     Saidu Isa     National Broadcasting Commission     Aremu Odolaye     Samuel Adaramola     Gbemisola Saraki     Saad Belgore     Abdullahi Saadudeen Alikinla     Olabanji Orilonishe     Damilola Yusuf     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu     Muslim Stakeholders Of Kwara State     Guber Aspirant     Kamoru Kadiri     Olusegun Adeniyi     March 28     General Hospital, Ilorin     Local Government Pension Board     Dumagi     Mohammed Abdulahi     Rasaq Jimoh     Aliyu Sabi     Trade Lenda SME Fair     Amada Jidda     Aliyu Umar     Kola Olota     Solomon Edojah     Students Union Government     Mukhtar Shagaya     New Nigeria People’s Party     JAAC     Majlis For Sadaqah, Zakat And Waqf     Ramat Oganija     Kwara State University Of Education     Salihu Ajibola Ajia     Kaosarah Adeyi     Twitter     Mohammed Ibrahim     Nigeria Governors\' Forum     Saliu Oluwole     Ramadan     Bolaji Abdullahi     COVID     Ishola Abdullahi     Garba Dogo     Durbar Festival     Segun Abifarin     Www.Kwarareports.com     Isapa     Raliat Islamic Foundation     Yusuf Abubakar     ASMAU PLAZA     Abraysports FC     LAK Jimoh     College Of Education     Buari Edun     Abatemi-Usman     Ayo Opadokun     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     Ilorin East     Makama Of Ilorin     Irepodun     Kwara State Internal Revenue Service     Jebba     Tunji Folami     Jimba Babatunde     Olumide Daniel Ibitoye     Ahmed \'Lateef     Bahago     IQRA College    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Afolabi-Oshatimehin     Saka Adeyemo     Sa\'adu Salahu     Isapa     GGDSS Pakata     Sam Okaula     Onilorin     Ahmed Saidu Rufai     Oluwarotimi Boluwatife Adenike     Hassan Taiye Salam     Saeedat Aliyu     Mufutau Olatinwo     Sunday Otokiti     Lukman Adeloyin     Kumbi Titiloye     Christian Association Of Nigeria     Government High School Adeta     Trader Moni     Amule     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Rachael Obisesan     Salihu Alhaji Musa     Onilu     Halidu Danbaba     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Baba Issa     Ilofa     Moshood Bakare     Hakeem Idris     Sodiya     Muslimah Entrepreneurship Forum     Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi     KWIRS     Olayinka Jelili Yusuf     BIR     Oke-Odo     Balikis Jawondo     Abubakar Usman Jos     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu     Oke-Ogun     Saka Keji     TIC     Okin Group     Moses Rahman Popoola     Niyi Osundare     Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital     Kolade Solagberu     Baba Idris     Press Release     Abdulrahman Iliasu     Jumoke Gafar     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Mazars Consulting     Usman Rifun     Ahman Pategi University     Alaiye     Kwara Liberation Group     Taofeek Ibraheem     Ita-Nmo Market     School Of Nursing     Onilorin Of Ilorin     Ijakadi     Baba Isale     Gbadeyan Gbadura Yomi     Saka Saadu     Abubakar Atiku     Suleman Abubakar     Ben Duntoye     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Umar Yakubu Jaja     Edu     Bature Bello     Durosinlohun Kawu     Kayode Oyin Zubair     Ibrahim Akaje     Saba Mamman Daniel