10TH NASS PRINCIPAL OFFICERS: Adamu, Let Akpabio And Abbas Whiff
10TH NASS PRINCIPAL OFFICERS: Adamu, Let Akpabio And Abbas Whiff
The National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) is the highest legislative organ of government in Nigeria and the second arm of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which derives its powers under section 4 of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Sections 4, 47, 48, 49, and 51(1)(a)(b) of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution as amended, are explicit and unambiguous about the legislative activities of the National Assembly under full autonomy and non-interference from the executive, judiciary and political parties afflictions of the members of the House.
The composition of the national assembly is basically of the elected lawmakers from different political parties to represent the core interest of their constituents and not the interest of their political parties or the executive arm of the government.
The inauguration of the 10th national assembly was proclaimed last month, June, in which Senator Godswill Akpabio from the South and Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas from the North West from the ruling APC emerged as the leader of both Chambers through elections by colleagues as enshrined in section 50(1)(a)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The major problem mitigating the true independence of the National Assembly from time immemorial has been interference from the leadership of political party power and the executive, in which the leadership of the 10th Assembly has vowed to make a difference and not as business as usual, upon the call from Nigerians.
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It is a tale that there must be principal officers in the House, comprising both the majority party and minority parties in the House for smooth, effective, and efficient legislative duties of the lawmakers.
The recent announcement of the principal officers of the House from the two Chambers, especially from the ruling party’s camp appeared to be generating a political brawl between the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party under the chairmanship of Senator Adamu Abdullahi and the Senate President and the Speaker of the House over the choice of principal officers announced by the Senate President and Speaker.
Recalled that yesterday on the floor of the Senate, the Senate President announced Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele – Senate Majority Leader; Senator Dave Umahi -Senate Deputy Majority Leader; Senator Ali Ndume – Senate Chief Whip and Senator Lola Ashiru – Deputy Chief Whip. On the floor of the House of Representatives, the Speaker announced Julius Ihonvbere (APC – Edo, House Majority Leader), Halims Abdullahi (APC – Kogi, Deputy Majority Leader), Bello Kumo (APC – Gombe, Chief Whip), Adewunmi Onanuga (APC – Ogun, Deputy Chief Whip).
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The APC National Chairman immediately after the announcement faulted the decisions of Senator Akpabio and Rt. Hon. Abbas is not the reflection of the party. Adam is an emergency NWC meeting with some APC governors who were present at the disowned the appointment of principal officers of the National Assembly. Adamu said they didn’t follow due process and whatever announcement was made by Akpabio and Abass was not from the party.
The National Chairman of the APC and some governors that were present when the choice of the NASS principal officers was repudiated must know that the members of the national assembly under the ruling party are bound by the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended, and House Standing Rules to functions and not by the Constitution of the APC.
Adamu must allow the lawmakers under the party to inhale and exhale, ss they are directly answerable to their constituents that elected them to the national assembly and not the NWC of the party. The NWC if the APC must wake up to their consciousness that party politics and elections are over, and legislative assignment on which they seek votes must commence immediately without any form of dictatorial command from the party.
In the buildup to the APC presidential primary last year, the same Adamu was accused of trying to manipulate the game in his favor by coming through the back door to make the immediate past Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan the presidential candidate of the party against the unanimous decision of the governors in the party to zone the ticket to the South.
Adam was a two-term governor of Nasarawa state and former Senator, he understands the rules of the game and he must allow the national assembly under Akpabio and Abbas to BREATHE.
This is the most divisive national Assembly since 1999, in terms of political parties.
Sam Olorunfemi Jr
Journalist/Political Analyst