Saraki, Dogara: Why we can’t reconvene national assembly
Senate President Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, say no date has been fixed to reconvene national assembly.
President Muhammadu Buhari had urged the national assembly to reconvene so as to approve N242 billion for the 2019 elections.
Last week, Yusuf Lasun, deputy speaker of the house of representatives, said the national assembly would reconvene on Tuesday to consider the request.
But the lawmakers did not get a notice of resumption on Monday.
In a statement on Tuesday, Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan, media aides of Saraki and Dogara, quoted their principals as saying there was no report to consider because the committees handling the president’s request had not met.
The principal officers said it would be irresponsible to recall members from recess when there is nothing to consider.
“The senate president, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and speaker, house of representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have directed that we inform all Senators, Honorable members and the public that a date has not been set for the reconvening of the Senate and the house of representatives to consider the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018,” the statement read.
“The leadership of the two chambers had met and agreed to reconvene to consider the proposal this week before which a meeting between the joint senate and house of representatives committees on electoral matters and officials of the INEC must have held on or before Monday August 13, 2018.
“The joint committees were also expected to meet with the joint senate and house committees on appropriations, loans and debts on the Eurobond loan request after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.
“However, no such meeting had taken place yet as a result of which both senate and house of representatives cannot reconvene as there is no report to consider.
“Until the committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers, it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.”
The lawmakers embarked on their annual recess on July 24 and are expected to resume on September 25.
There is no doubt that the loan the government wants to borrow is to enable APC to perpetrate their new tactics of vote-buying. Having tested this rigging technique with success in Ekiti, Katsina, Kogi and Bauchi elections, the APC-led government is poised to enforce it in the 2019 general elections. This is why they are seeking for the Eurobond loan.
Saraki, Dogara and other honorable members of the legislature should not approve the loan.