SENATE PASSES FOR SECOND READING ELECTORAL OFFENCES & FILLING OF VACANT CIVIL SERVICE POSITIONS BILLS
The Senate on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 considered and passed two very important legislation for second reading. The Bills’ whose general principles were debated by the law-makers and accorded the legislative approval include:
1) A Bill for an Act to establish the National Electoral Offences Commission and for other matters connected therewith, 2017 (S.B. 469), sponsored by Sen. Abubakar Kyari (Borno North). The Bill having enjoyed overwhelming support of Senators that contributed in favour of the legislation scaled through second reading and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to report back in four weeks.
2) A Bill for an Act to make it an offence for Vacant Positions in Federal Civil Service to be filled without being advertised and for other matters connected therewith, 2017 (S.B. 52), sponsored by Sen. Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti South). Most Senators contributed in favour of the Bill and ultimately sailed through second reading and referred to the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, to report back in four weeks.
Meanwhile, the Red Chamber has resumed the consideration of the Report of Senate Committees on the 2017 Budget of Corporations and Agencies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria standing in the name of Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan.
Accordingly, the Report of two Committees, Agriculture and Rural Development and Capital Market were approved by the Senate which ultimately led to the passage into law of the 2017 Budget of Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation and the 2017 Budget of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). While, other Committees’ Reports considered were referred back to the Committees for further legislative inputs, to report in two weeks.
Nevertheless, the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan came under point of order 36, to draw the attention of the Senate to reverse a resolution it passed mandating an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the Poor Funding of Nigerian Foreign Missions. The Chamber has reversed the referral of the investigation from the Ad-hoc Committee to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.