Grim Possibilities As Senate Resumes Today

The resumption of the Senate today from its one month recess would unarguably be  met with so many dicey national  issues that require its imprint. The approach to be employed in handling the concerns is likely to put the Senate on the spot light. With so many contentious questions left unresolved before it embarked on break in August and others that had taken place while it was on recess,  today’s resumption brings to light a period of uncertainty among the lawmakers.

After sitting for 14 days in two months since its inauguration, the Senate in a move that rattled Nigerians, embarked on its third recess since the commencement of the legislative year on June 8, 2015, leaving so many issues unaddressed.

The specific concerns before  the senate as of August 29, 2015, were the leadership crisis occasioned by the emergence of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, disagreement over sharing of principal offices, reduction of salaries and allowances of legislators, power sector probe among others.

However, other issues of note that became more topical while the Senate was on vacation include; Controversy over false assets declaration charges against the Senate President, expected ministerial list, alleged impeachment moves against Saraki and approval of appointments made so far by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Therefore, as legislative business commences  today, there is a degree of anxiety among the populace regarding the steps that would be taken on these issues.

A detailed observation of the underlying issues provides an insight into what to expect from the  lawmakers, who have roundly been criticised for allegedly not paying much attention to legislative activities since their  inauguration till date.

The invitation of Saraki to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal , CCT, and his subsequent appearance, seem to have overtaken the importance of other challenges before the lawmakers given the mixed signals that followed it across the country. With arguments and counter-arguments as to the merit and demerit of such development, the relative calm that had existed in the Senate before its vacation, seems to have been mortally affected and no one could say specifically what the outcome of events would be as the Senate resumes today.

Obviously, another fire has been rekindled among the lawmakers, who were factionalized until now by leadership crisis. And this time, the peace of the senate leadership is believed to be on the brink given the perceived intensity of the matter. On the strength of the allegations against the Senate leadership, the prospects of witnessing an anti Saraki revolt in the Senate from today onward are real.

It is one of the few possible developments that could be described as certain as the lawmakers resume. Already, the events preceding this day, did not foreclose such, as media reports had predicted such. It was gathered that those, who will spearhead the onslaught, may lay claims to morality and subsequently call on the senate president to throw in the towel.

In spite claims of having secured the needed numerical support to go ahead with such plans, political analysts argued that the Senate president may survive what they described as  impeachment scare considering his acceptability among the generality of Peoples Democratic Party ,PDP,  senators and a section of lawmakers elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. However, only time will tell.

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