Senate To Seal Off Of Kogi Assembly
Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:39:am Politics
2.3K By sosa hills
The Senate on Thursday concurred with the resolutions of the House of Representatives that the administration of the Kogi House of Assembly be taken over by the National Assembly.
It directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, to seal the State Assembly Complex.
The two chambers noted that in view of the fact that the Kogi State House of Assembly cannot perform its legislative functions due to intractable crisis and volatile security situation in the state, the National Assembly has invoked the powers conferred on it by Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended to take over the legislative functions of the State House of Assembly pending the restoration of normalcy in the legislature.
The apex legislative body declared the impeachment proceedings embarked upon by five members of the Assembly as null and void.
It also condemned the role played by the Nigeria Police in subverting the provisions of the constitution by providing cover for only five members of the 20-member House to commit illegalities.
The two chambers subsequently directed the IGP to seal the Kogi State Assembly Complex until the matter is resolved.
These resolutions of the Hose of Representatives were sequel to a petition by the Kogi House of Assembly upon which the Lower House drew its resolutions that were presented by the Senate Leader Mohammed Ali Ndume at Thursday's plenary.
The Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha ( PDP-Taraba South) who appreciated the stand of the House on the matter, said that Nigeria is a country with bi-cameral legislature.
He said: "We are doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing. This matter is in the public domain; it is simply an embarrassment to our democracy. For a government that God has granted mercy to come with the mantra of change, we cannot afford to allow this kind of brigandage to happen under our watch.
"In the Fifth Assembly, we witnessed this kind of Executive rascality where four or five members staged an impeachment of the governor. That era has remained with us as a country and dented our image.
"So, I want to say that our concurrence is very timely, it is apt and nothing could have been better otherwise one day in this chamber few members of the Senate can rise up and carry out an impeachment of the presiding officer and I think we must discourage it. We must make sure that it doesn't happen in this National Assembly."
Senator Dino Melaye (APC- Kogi West) who opposed the adoption of the resolutions of the House said: "If we read resolution two of the House of Representatives, it is null and void and if the whole exercise is null and void, then what will be the rational in taking over the House of Assembly when you have declared what took place there as null and void. Well, as a superior chamber to the House of Representatives, it is also our responsibility to correct the wrongs of the lower chamber in the spirit of justice and equity..."
In his remark, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki explained that the report from the House of Representatives stated that the division in the Kogi House of Assembly cuts across party lines.
He said: "So, I think we should not even bring in party sentiments. It is not an issue of change or no change," he said.
It directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, to seal the State Assembly Complex.
The two chambers noted that in view of the fact that the Kogi State House of Assembly cannot perform its legislative functions due to intractable crisis and volatile security situation in the state, the National Assembly has invoked the powers conferred on it by Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended to take over the legislative functions of the State House of Assembly pending the restoration of normalcy in the legislature.
The apex legislative body declared the impeachment proceedings embarked upon by five members of the Assembly as null and void.
It also condemned the role played by the Nigeria Police in subverting the provisions of the constitution by providing cover for only five members of the 20-member House to commit illegalities.
The two chambers subsequently directed the IGP to seal the Kogi State Assembly Complex until the matter is resolved.
These resolutions of the Hose of Representatives were sequel to a petition by the Kogi House of Assembly upon which the Lower House drew its resolutions that were presented by the Senate Leader Mohammed Ali Ndume at Thursday's plenary.
The Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha ( PDP-Taraba South) who appreciated the stand of the House on the matter, said that Nigeria is a country with bi-cameral legislature.
He said: "We are doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing. This matter is in the public domain; it is simply an embarrassment to our democracy. For a government that God has granted mercy to come with the mantra of change, we cannot afford to allow this kind of brigandage to happen under our watch.
"In the Fifth Assembly, we witnessed this kind of Executive rascality where four or five members staged an impeachment of the governor. That era has remained with us as a country and dented our image.
"So, I want to say that our concurrence is very timely, it is apt and nothing could have been better otherwise one day in this chamber few members of the Senate can rise up and carry out an impeachment of the presiding officer and I think we must discourage it. We must make sure that it doesn't happen in this National Assembly."
Senator Dino Melaye (APC- Kogi West) who opposed the adoption of the resolutions of the House said: "If we read resolution two of the House of Representatives, it is null and void and if the whole exercise is null and void, then what will be the rational in taking over the House of Assembly when you have declared what took place there as null and void. Well, as a superior chamber to the House of Representatives, it is also our responsibility to correct the wrongs of the lower chamber in the spirit of justice and equity..."
In his remark, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki explained that the report from the House of Representatives stated that the division in the Kogi House of Assembly cuts across party lines.
He said: "So, I think we should not even bring in party sentiments. It is not an issue of change or no change," he said.
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