Nigeria: Senate to move against Yar'Adua

January 12th, 2010

 

 

Abuja (Nigeria) - The continued absence of President Umaru Yar'Adua and its implication on the polity will top the agenda as Senate resumes tomorrow after over three weeks break that took over 70 per cent of the senators outside the shores of Nigeria.

Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, said in Minna, Niger State yesterday that the Senate will discuss the state of the nation when it resumes.

"By Tuesday, we will rise to the occasion and Nigeria will hear from us in respect of the Presidency," Ekweremadu told newsmen.

He was in Minna on a condolence visit to former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida over the death of his wife, Maryam.

"The issue relating to the prolonged absence of President Yar'Adua will be discussed during the Senate deliberation," he stated.

However, there are indications that the recent decision of the United States of America (USA) to list Nigeria among the 14 countries to be watched over terrorism will also form part of the agenda.

Before the Christmas break, lawmakers were seen in groups discussing the long absence of the ailing President who has been away from the country for six weeks now.

Attempt by Senator George Sekibo to raise such issue last year when the President travelled out the country without recourse to the National Assembly almost threw the Senate into a rowdy session

Spokesman of the Senate, Ayogu Eze had earlier at a news briefing said Senate would review the US posture on Nigerians when it resumes tomorrow.

He said on resumption, Senate will review the US stand, saying: "The Senate rejects this obnoxious classification which was done without due consultation with relevant authorities in Nigeria. On resumption we are going to weigh in on the matter, with a view to finding a solution to it.

"We also want to use this opportunity to restate our opposition to terrorism in any form from any quarter. We condemn what Umar Abdulmutallab did, and ask that innocent Nigerians be spared the agony to which they are exposed because of this one-off incident.

"His action, heinous and condemnable as it was, is not enough ground to criminalize innocent and law-abiding Nigerians over a matter they know nothing about."

There are also indications that the senators may ask questions on the position of the 2009 supplementary appropriation bill which the National Assembly was reported to have okayed and transmitted to the President for his assent on the day he travelled out of the country for medical treatment.

A source told Daily Champion that Mark and the clerk of the Senate, Ben Efeture would want to know whether or not the President assented to the bill.

This followed conflicting reports from Aso -Rock on the status of the N315 billion supplementary appropriation bill.

The source said Senate may also discuss its finances and inability of the executive to release its last quarter allocation for last fiscal year.

The source alleged that the Senate literally begged senators to travel home for last Christmas break when it became clear that their last quarter allocation would not be ready.

Meanwhile, Senate yesterday denied issuing a seven-day ultimatum to the United States of America (USA) to rescind its decision in including Nigeria among the 14 countries to be watched over terrorism.

The Upper House also slammed noble prize winner Prof. Wole Soyinka for hastily attacking the Senate based on the false report.

It will be recalled that Eze was quoted as saying that the Senate had given seven-day ultimatum to the US to rescind its decision or face a diplomatic row with Nigeria.

Eze in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday said: "At no point did the Senate give a seven-day ultimatum. What I said at the press briefing and this is verifiable from the bodies of the stories with the misleading headlines, was that we rejected the classification and demanded that our name be taken off that list.

"I followed up by stating that when the Senate resumes next, it will engage all its diplomatic and legislative gears to bring about this reversal.

"It was therefore surprising that well-meaning Nigerians for whom the Senate has so much respect would be misled by these screaming headlines to make comments on the matter without first of all acquainting themselves with the facts of the case."

The Upper House in a one page statement also slammed Soyinka for attacking the senate on account of the said report.

"The comment by Soyinka referring to the Senate position as being absurd is most unfortunate because I had expected that being one of the captains of the literary ship in Nigeria, he should have read the entire comment from the Senate before casting aspersion on the institution for something that did not happen at all.

"It is wrong for those the Senate holds in high esteem to attack its reputation and to seek to rubbish its actions without justification. I am constrained to observe that Prof. Soyinka is gradually falling into this group of Nigerians who offer opinions hastily without first obtaining all the sides to an issue.

"I wish to restate that the senate rejects this obnoxious classification which was done without due consultation with relevant authorities in Nigeria. On resumption we are going to weigh in on the matter, with a view to finding a solution to it.

"We also want to use this opportunity to restate our opposition to terrorism in any form from any quarter. We condemn what Umar Abdulmutallab did, and ask that innocent Nigerians be spared the agony to which they are exposed because of this one-off incident.

"His action, heinous and condemnable as it was, is not enough ground to criminalise innocent and law-abiding Nigerians over a matter they know nothing about.

"This is the official position of the Senate for now, and any views to the contrary belong to those who hold such views.

 

source.Daily Champion (Nigeria - January 11, 2010.