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Tag: Deputy President of the Senate

  • Reps Seek GCON Honour for Speaker Abbas

    Reps Seek GCON Honour for Speaker Abbas

    Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday called equal standing with the Senate, reminding the Federal Government that it is not subordinate to the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

    The call was sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Deputy Spokesperson for the house, Rep. Philip Agbese (APC-Benue) in conjunction with 235 members at plenary on Wednesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Bola Tinubu in a live broadcast on Independence Day, conferred the honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on the President of the Senate.

    The President also conferred the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy President of the Senate.

    Moving the motion, Agbese said that the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is constitutionally established as a bicameral legislature comprising two equal chambers which are the Senate and the House of Representatives, as stipulated in Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution.

    He said that the Constitution recognises both chambers operating within a framework that ensures the legislative independence and equality of both chambers.

    Agbese said that that Section 47 of the Constitution further explains that each chambers play distinct but complementary roles in the legislative process.

    The lawmaker said that the house is concerned about the ongoing and inappropriate culture of discrimination against the House of Representatives, which often portrayed as inferior to the Senate.

    According to him, the language consistently refers to the Senate as the upper chamber and the House of Representatives as a lower chamber.

    He also said that the Senate President is often referred to as the Chairman of the National Assembly while the Speaker is referred to as Deputy Chairman inaccurately implies a hierarchical structure contrary to the Constitution, and undermines the authority of the speaker.

    “This discriminatory practice was once again evidenced during the recent conferment of National Honours on the leadership of the National Assembly by Mr. President.

    “While expressing our gratitude to Mr President for recognising and honouring the leadership of the National Assembly, we note that the conferment of the title GCON on the President of the Senate and the CFR on the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy President of the Senate perpetuates the inappropriate subordination of the Speaker to the President of the Senate.

    “The Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is lower in protocol ranking than the Speaker of the House of Representatives, was also awarded the title of GCON, further exemplifying this culture of discrimination against the leadership of the house.

    “The House of Representatives reaffirms its commitment to the constitutional principle of equality between the two chambers of the National Assembly and calls for the elimination of all practices, titles, and references that suggest otherwise.

    “The speaker of the House is a co-leader of the legislative arm of government, and this must be recognised and respected in all respects,” he said.

    The lawmaker said that the National Honours Act of 1964 does not explicitly prescribe the conferment of specific honours, such as the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) for the President of the Senate or the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) for the Speaker.

    According to him, these distinctions are rooted in customary practice rather than statutory requirement.

    “Further note that the honour of GCON is not restricted to any particular office or individual but can be awarded to any distinguished Nigerian deemed deserving by the President.

    “This is evidenced by the recent conferment of GCON on Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala by former President Muhammadu Buhari, this House acknowledges the flexibility inherent in the National Honours system and the prerogative of the President in the allocation of such distinctions,” he said.

    The house resolved that the speaker be recognised as co-chairman of the National Assembly in all respects, and request that all references to the leadership of the National Assembly reflect the equality.

    The house called on all government institutions, officials, and the media to take cognisance of language and titles that suggest a hierarchical structure between the Senate and the House of Representatives or their respective leaders.

    The house resolved that the Clerk of the National Assembly be directed to ensure that all communications, orders, and publications from the National Assembly henceforth refer to both the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate as co-heads of the National Assembly.

    The house resolved to set up an Ad hoc Committee to liaise with the Presidency and propose amendments to the National Honours Act of 1964 to appropriately recognise the Speaker of the House of Representatives as co-head of theNational Assembly.

    The house also requested the conferment of the national honour of GCON upon the Speaker, to ensure parity in recognition with the President of the Senate and should be accomplished before the formal decoration by Mr. President.

    The house urged the President to uphold the spirit of bicameral equality as enshrined in the Constitution when making decisions and recommendations that concern the leadership of the National Assembly. (NAN)

  • Former Senate President, Mark Mourns Mantu

    Former Senate President, Mark Mourns Mantu

    Former President of the Senate, David Mark, has expressed shock and sadness over the demise of former Deputy President of the Senate, Ibrahim Mantu.
    Mark, in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Paul Mumeh, on Tuesday in Minna, said  Mantu’s death was a devastating loss to the political class.
    He noted that the former lawmaker died at a time when his wealth of experience, wisdom and services were most needed to navigate through the murky political terrain.
    Mark described Mantu as a flamboyant leader, who brought panache, character and sagacity to the political space.
    The former Senate president stated: “In Mantu, I have lost a friend, brother and compatriot who believed in the sanctity of our unity and ideals of nationhood.
    “Mantu played a politics of inclusiveness, fairness, equity and justice. He was a politician who built bridges of understanding across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
    “He was a political leader of high repute. He stood to be counted when it mattered. His death is indeed one too many. He will sorely be missed.
    “I am however, consoled that Mantu lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation,”Mark said.
    The former Senate president prayed God in His infinite mercies to grant the deceased eternal rest and his family the fortitude to bear the loss. (NAN)
  • COVID-19: FG Seeks NASS Approval For N500bn Intervention fund

    COVID-19: FG Seeks NASS Approval For N500bn Intervention fund

    The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, on Saturday met with the leadership of the National Assembly to intimate it on an Executive proposal to establish a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund.

    Ola Awoniyi, the Special Adviser to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in a statement said that the minister held the meeting with the President of the Senate and senior officials of the ministry at the National Assembly Complex in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Also in attendance were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege; Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, and some principal officers of both Chambers.

    The meeting is a follow-up to another one held on March 25 between the National Assembly leadership and members of the Presidential Committee set up for the management of the COVID-19 crisis.

    “What we are proposing is the establishment of a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund.

    “This Fund that we are proposing should be created will involve mopping up resources from various special accounts that the government as well as the Federation have to be able to pull this N500 billion,” the minister said.

    Ahmed added that in addition to the identified special accounts from where the money would be drawn as loans, the proposed intervention fund would also be sourced from grants being expected and loans from multilateral institutions.

    “Our general view is that this crisis intervention fund is to be utilised to upgrade healthcare facilities as earlier identified.

    “The Federal Government also needs to be in a position to improve health care facilities not only in the states but to provide intervention to the states,’’ she said.

    Ahmed explained to the lawmakers that the Fund, if approved, would also take care of special Public Work Programmes currently being implemented by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

    “We know that there will be a need for the parliament to agree and approve the taking of loans from these special accounts and we will be coming back with a proposed bill in that regard that will define what the fund will be used for,’’ the minister said.

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    Earlier in his remarks, the Senate President said the meeting was in fulfilment of an earlier promise to provide support as the need arises in this time of crisis.

    “Just like we told Nigerians, when there is need for us to meet or to take legislative action in support of ensuring that the government responds appropriately to development issues and challenges in the country, we will do so.

    “This meeting, the second in the series after we shut down the National Assembly for two weeks, is a clear testimony of what we have said.

    “Governance requires that we work together, so we want to listen to those things that you have on your side and how we can also play our constitutional role in ensuring that Nigerians continue to benefit from governance.

    “And to also see how we are able to weather the storm created by COVID-19.

    “Going forward, we need to interact more because very fundamental decisions will need to be taken, and these decisions can only be said to be constitutionally legal if the legislature gives its stamp of authority for the executive to implement and execute.

    “I think coming to us for those loans is critical because we are in an emergency and time is of the essence.

    “So, we must work as expeditiously as possible to ensure that we place the request before the National Assembly.

    “I think time has come for us to redefine the implementation of the Social Intervention Programme, because probably going out to communities to give them N20,000 per person might not be the best way to go.

    “It is still an effort, but I think we need a better approach that will be more efficient,’’ Lawan said.
    NAN