Senate: Five weeks, five troubles

The Senate resumes from its seasonal break and will sit for five weeks before embarking on a prolonged two-month break. In the five weeks ahead, Senators would have to confront five serious issues.

Having ended its second legislative year on 6th June, the Seventh Senate resumes its third legislative session with a sense of optimism today after a two-week break.

The legislators are expected to sit for another five or so weeks before proceeding on a  two-month break and is expected to resume on September 24, 2013.

In the last two years the Senate was able to introduce about 160 bills with several in various stages of legislative consideration. Among them are 16 executive bills, the rest being members’ bills. Out of these, 17 bills were passed, 14 were read a second time and referred to relevant committees while two were negatived. The negatived bills were Equipment Leasing Bill 2013 and the Nigerian Search and Rescue Guards (Est.etc) Bill, 2013.

Priority consideration
According to a bill progression chart released by Senator Ita Enang, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, 24 of the pending bills will be given priority consideration within the next five weeks. Notable among these bills are the 2013 Appropriation Act (Amendment) Bill, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alterations) Bill 2013; Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2013; Petroleum Industry Bill 2013 and University of Lagos Act Cap UG LFN 2014 (Amendment) Bill.

David Mark presiding over Senate plenary

These five bills will not only dominate the Senate agenda but public discourse from today when the senators begin legislative activities for the next five weeks. This is not necessarily because the bills are the most important of the pending bills, but due largely to their contentious nature.

The PIB for instance, since its introduction in 2008 into the National Assembly by President Umaru Yar’Adua, has remained controversial. The bill has, however, not gone far as it has largely met with stiff resistance from vested interests.

Although, it has passed second reading and is now at committee level, the prospects of it not progressing beyond that stage are very high despite continuous government lobbying.

When the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, moved to commence the lead debate on the bill last December he was shocked to receive cold shoulders from his colleagues.

The cold shoulder arose apparently from an alleged decision by the powerful Northern Senator’s Forum, NSF, the day before to object to further progress of the bill.

It is argued in some quarters that an act of quiet blackmail by Senator Enang may have forced the Northern Senators to again allow the bill to progress.

Enang had a Senate session alleged that more than 75% of oil blocks in the Niger Delta were owned by northerners suggesting that there should be a total revocation of existing oil blocks for onward re-allocation for equity in the oil industry.

Contentious areas
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alterations) Bills 2013, is also not without its controversies. Although, the provision for state creation which was seen as the most contentious has been set aside by the Constitution Review Committee other contentious areas are still conspicuously there. They include local government autonomy, abrogation of state/local government joint account, six-year single term for president and governors, the clause barring vice-president and deputy governors from seeking election to succeed their bosses are among other numerous clauses awaiting consideration.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has assured that the bill would be pushed through by July.

The 2013 Appropriation Act (Amendment) Bill, is brewing a superiority battle between the two arms with the lawmakers alleging bad faith on the part of each other. Many lawmakers see the amendment bill as a gross indictment of their earlier work. However, presidency officials insist that there was an agreement before the president signed to the 2013 Appropriation Bill that he would submit an amendment bill that the lawmakers would quickly consider.

Another bill that is soiled with contention, is the University of Lagos Act Cap UG LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill. The bill seeks to approve President Jonathan’s request to re-name the tertiary institution after the late business mogul and acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Bashorun Moshood Abiola. The contention follows the alleged lobby and misgiving by many stakeholders of the president’s decision to rename the institution after Abiola.

These bills and the Electoral Act amendment bill according to Senator Ita Enang, would be considered within the given time frame. Whatever the outcome, the decisions of the Senate would certainly not go down without the controversies that have shadowed them thus far.

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