SENATE CONFIRMS RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONERS, PASSES THREE BILLS FOR SECOND TREADING
As a prelude to free, fair and credible elections in 2019, the Upper Legislative Chamber on Wednesday, February 14, 2018, received, considered and approved the Report of Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the Screening and Confirmation of Nine Resident Electoral Commissioners. The Report was presented before the Chamber by the Senate Committee Chairman on INEC, Sen. Suleiman M. Nazif (Bauchi North).
Accordingly, the Chamber resolved into the Committee of the Whole where the report of the screening exercise was approved and subsequently seven out of the nine nominees were confirmed while two were rejected. Among those confirmed include; Baba Abba Yusuf (Borno State), Mr. Segun Agbaje (Ekiti State), Dr. Uthman Abdulrahman Ajidagba (Kwara State), Dr. Cyril Omorogbe (Edo State), Yahaya Bello (Nasarawa State), Dr. Emmanuel Alex Hart (Rivers State) and Mohammed Magaji Ibrahim (Gombe State). While the two nominees rejected were Elder Monday Udoh Tom (Akwa Ibom State) and Eric Olawale (Osun State).
Meanwhile, the Senate has debated and passed for second reading the following legislation:
1) A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of the Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria and for other related matters, 2018 (S.B. 558), sponsored by Sen. Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central). The Bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters to report back in four weeks.
2) A Bill for an Act to establish the Federal Polytechnic, Kwale, Delta State to provide for full time courses in technology, applied sciences, management and other fields of studies and to make provision for general administration of such Polytechnic, 2018 (S.B. 603), sponsored by Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North). The legislation has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.
3) A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of Federal College of Education, Monguno, Borno State and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 609), sponsored by Sen. Abubakar Kyari (Borno North). The Bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.
Similarly, the Red Chamber has also deliberated upon and passed a Motion titled “Demise of Sen. John Nanzip Shagaya OFR (2nd September, 1942 – 11th February, 2018), sponsored by Sen. Jeremiah T. Useni (Plateau South) and Six Co-sponsors. According to Sen. Useni, the Senate noted with heavy heart and deep sense of loss, the demise of former Sen. John Nanzip Shagaya, former senior Military Officer who was involved in a fatal motor accident on the 11th of February, 2018 while returning to Jos from Langtang.
The Motion scaled through with three resolution below:
i) Observe a minute silence in honour of the late Sen. John Nanzip Shagaya.
ii) Send a delegation of the Senate to condole with the family, people and government of Plateau State.
iii) Urge the Federal Government to immortalize Sen. John N. Shagaya by naming a national monument in his honour.
Nonetheless, the Senate has received and adopted the Conference Committee Report on Independent National Electoral Commission Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2018 (S.B. 231 & 234) (H.B. 165, 174, 220, 429, 468, 484, 809 & 966). The Harmonization Report on the ten legislation amended were presented before the Chamber for consideration and adoption by Sen. Suleiman M. Nazif (Bauchi North). Accordingly, two of the Bills originated from the Senate while the remaining eight from the House of Representatives.
On receipt of the Report, the Senate president, Bukola Saraki placed the ten Amendment Bills to a voice vote and all sailed through. But the decision did not go down well with the expectations of some Senators, who tried to rescind the decision of the Chamber through points of orders which were ruled out of order by the Senate President.
Responding on the decision of the Chamber, Senate President, Bukola Saraki asserted that law-makers should look beyond personal or individual interest in tinkering with the laws of the land and strive towards upholding the collective interest of the country and generations yet unborn by strengthening and building virile institutions not individuals.
He added that individuals would come and go at the end of their tenure but virile institutions remain, he urged his colleagues to join hands in building virile institutions that would stand the test of time.