As year 2021 ends today, TAIYE ODEWALE chronicles legislative activities that shaped the Senate
Plenary resumption
Though both the Senate and the House of Representatives had while adjourning for Christmas and New year break in December 2020, fixed Tuesday, January 26, 2021 as resumption date but later added two weeks to the break which put the resumption date on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.
Expectedly, two of the four main legislative activities like bills and motions sponsorships dominated sittings in Senate for the first two weeks with issues on security challenges serving as recurring decimals with attendant lashing or bashing of the executive arm of government to rise up to the challenge.
Confirmation of EFCC boss
A week after resumption from the New Year break on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari, forwarded to the Senate for confirmation, appointment of Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa as the new substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) .
The Senate in honoring the President’s request, swung into action on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 by screening the nominee in an open session in plenary where Bawa dazzled it with eloquence and versed knowledge on economic and financial crime fighting.
Little wonder that the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo – Agege, in his remarks at the screening said: “This nomination is unique and an inspirational one. It is a nomination that generated hope for millions of our youths in this country.
“Mr. President, we all recall the incident which transpired at the Lekki toll gate in October 2020. Clearly, the youths at that toll gate needed an opportunity to express themselves.
“Mr. President, with this nomination, the youths of this country can now sit in offices and make those very crucial and fundamental decisions on how Nigeria should be governed, and there cannot be a better platform than the office of the Chairman of the EFCC”.
Bawa’s response
Responding to questions from the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, Senators Adamu Aliero, Bala Ibn Na’Allah etc , Bawa cited Section 6 and 7 of the EFCC Establishment Act clearly defines the functions of the Agency, as well as the laws it is empowered to enforce.
According to him, the duty of repositioning the EFCC entails enforcing the provisions of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004, the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, Failed Bank Recovery of Debt Act, Provisions of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, Miscellaneous Offences Act, as well as Sections of the Penal Code and Criminal Code that relate to economic and financial crimes.
His words: “What I would do to reposition the EFCC, or what I envisage the EFCC to do is to ensure that we work on our own standard operational procedure to improve on the standard operational procedures, so much so that all that is expected of us is to try as much as possible to try and curtail the usage of discretion from the office of the Executive Chairman down to the ordinary investigator in the EFCC.
“We are looking forward to an EFCC, whereby if I give an instruction to a junior officer, he would look at my face and say, sir, I have understood your instruction but I won’t be able to do it, because of certain section of the rules or regulations governing the EFCC.
“We hope that if confirmed by this Senate, we are going to be more transparent and accountable.
“We have, of course, the lingering problem or issues bothering on management of assets. We hope if given the opportunity, my colleagues and I will embark on the digitalization of the process in the EFCC.
“In essence, what I’m saying is that we are going to embrace technology to enable us keep our records properly, so that as at when due, when Nigerians ask questions, it’s just a matter of pressing a button.
“The EFCC under my watch and if confirmed by this hallowed chamber will work on proactive approach rather than reactive approach in the process of good governance in this country rather than fighting wars of corruption.
“We understood at the commission that there is difference between fighting corrupt people and fighting corruption.
“Fighting corruption is about good governance, it is about working on the institutions of government to tell them areas where they need to work to avoid leakages”.
But despite his brilliant performance at the screening , Bawa got a take home advice from no less a Senator than the former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu who said: “You’re not going to be the first Chairman of EFCC, you know the circumstances how others came, you know how they managed the Affairs, you know how they ended.
“You know that they came out of the EFCC and became like ordinary citizens. And of course, you know that at the end of their lives they’ll meet their creator to account for their actions.
“So, I’m going to advice you to rather learn from those mistakes those ones made, because ultimately your tenure would end and then you’ll be like any of us.
“I will like to advise you, because you’ve been there, to check those mistakes they made, in both the operations, their human relations, the way they did their job, how they responded to people, and of course how they carried out their responsibilities”.
Approvals of Executive’s foreign loans request
Other legislative functions carried out by the Senate and the House of Reps were approvals of foreign loans request by Mr President.
One of such was the $2.6billion out of the $5.5billion external borrowing requests approved on Wednesday, 21st of April , 2021 for financing of priority projects .
The approved sum, according to the Chairman of the Local and Foreign Debt Committee, Clifford Ordia, would see €995 million euros going to finance priority projects of the federal government, while $1.5 billion (USD) would be disbursed to the 36 state governments to finance critical projects.
Out of the total sum approved, $1.5 billion is to be sourced from the World Bank; €671 million euros from the Export-Import Bank of Brazil; and another €324 million euros from the Deutsche Bank of Germany.
The tenor/moratorium of the loan to be sought from the World Bank is 25 years at an interest rate of 2.45 percent per annum; while that from the Export-Import Bank of Brazil is for 15 years at an interest rate of 2.935 percent; and the loan request from the Deutsche Bank of Germany for seven (7) years at 2.87 percent interest rate.
Insecurity
In May 2021, the issues of insecurity dominated debate on the floor of the Senate based on happenings in some communities in the country and motions raised on them at both chambers at different times which culminated into closed door sessions with Service Chiefs.
But while waiting for the Service Chiefs and heads of the various security agencies to appear before them in plenary and at closed door sessions, the federal lawmakers went the party line on the matter.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at both chambers of the National Assembly under the aegis of Minority Caucus led by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), at a press conference on Tuesday May 4, 2021, aside lamentations on the rising wave of insecurity in the country, the caucus subtly threatened President Muhammadu Buhari with impeachment, accusing him of committing constitutional breaches through his inaction on the problems.
The federal lawmakers said: “The caucus has taken note of the fact that the President is absent from duty. We have not seen our president. We have not heard from our president despite the daily killings that have turned Nigeria into a killing field of unimaginable proportions.
“Therefore, the caucus has taken note and will continue to take note of the constitutional breaches that is happening at this time by the government of the APC and will at the appropriate time utilize all constitutional methods and measures available after consultations with our colleagues to do the needful to save the country from collapse”.
APC lawmakers fire back
Expectedly, barely 24 hours after, Senators on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), countered their PDP counterparts at a press conference held on Wednesday, 5th May , 2021.
At their own press conference, the APC federal lawmakers, disassociated themselves from threat made by the PDP senators on invocation of relevant provisions of the constitution against President Muhammadu Buhari on alleged breaches and inactions against the rising wave of insecurity in the land.
They pointedly declared that the planned constitutional invocation against President Buhari by PDP federal lawmakers , was dead on arrival as such move would be blocked from any legislative consideration at whatever level at both chambers.
They said: “We in the APC Caucus totally reject the many incorrect statements contained in the said press release. Indeed, we are quite aware of the role of the opposition in any democracy.
“However, the statement by the PDP Caucus has gone too far given the good working relationship in the 9th Assembly and especially with the Minority Caucus.
“Pointedly, we reject and dissociate ourselves from all and any inflammatory statements that appear to threaten the authority of Mr. President and our party.
“We accordingly, wish to remind them that blame game and threats of “constitutional measures” are unwelcome and will not help in any form to address the challenges the nation currently faces.
“Furthermore, we take exception to the unfortunate charge that our President has not been seen. This is false and cheap politics.
“Mr. President and Service – Chiefs are meticulously busy every day and every night in deliberations with a view to addressing the security challenges across the entire country”.
Gale of defections
The 9th Senate in June 2021, had gale of defections by Senators from the platform of the PDP to the APC.
On the 30th of June of the outgoing year, three Senators from the PDP, resigned their membership of the party and defected to the APC.
The lawmakers who defected are: Senators Sahabi Ya’u (Zamfara North); Lawali Hassan Anka (Zamfara West); and Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North).
Twenty four hours before the defection of the three Senators, Senator Hassan Mohammed Gusau from Zamfara Central had earlier defected just as Senator Elisha Abbo from Adamawa North defected a year earlier from PDP to APC, which was topped by defection of Senator Stella Oduah (Anambra North) from PDP to APC in August this year.
Controversy of Electronic Results Transmission
The Senate was in eye of the storm in the month of July when it tampered with clause 52(3) of the 2010 Electoral Act ( Amendment ) Bill 2021 which deals with electronic transmission of election results.
While the original clause states that where and when practicable , the Senate amended it by adding approval of the National Communications Commission ( NCC) to it as regards adequacy and functionality of National Network Coverage.
CCT Chairman’s assault on a security man
As bashings on the amendment against the Senate was going on in the month of August, humiliation also came its way for dabbling into assault case between the Chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal ( CCT) , Danladi Umar and a security man, Clement Sargwak.
The Senate had through a petition written against the CCT Chairman by Sargwak, mandated its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate the matter which occurred on the 29th of March at the Bannex Plaza , Wuse 2.
But the CCT Chairman took the Senate to Court over the investigation by describing it as a meddlesome interloper, allegedly usurping the functions of the Police and the Court of Law as far as case of assault is concerned. The Senate on the strength of the litigation, quickly withdrew from the investigation.
PIB passed
The passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill in July of the outgoing year which has now become an Act of Parliament, also generated heated arguments in the Senate along regional lines as regards percentage given the communities.
The 3% given the host communities in the passed bill now an Act, did not go down well with Senators from the South – South axis of the country but Senators from the other axis particularly from the North, used their numerical strength to get the bill passed at both Chambers with attendant pockets of protests against it from federal lawmakers from the south – South and interest groups .
Presentation of the 2022 budget
Expectedly presentation of the 2022 budget to the joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday, October 7, 2021, was also remarkable in the year as the action dominated legislative business at committee levels from October to December.
The budget which will be signed into law today was increased by both chambers of the National Assembly from N16.39trillion proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari to N17.126trillion passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday and Wednesday last week.
Assent to Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 declined
But in what looks like shooting themselves in the feet, both chambers of the National Assembly played into the hands of President Muhammadu Buhari on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 by making Direct Primary as only option for all political parties in electing or selecting their candidates for general elections.
The President refused assent to the bill singularly on that reason by insisting that political parties should be allowed to decide on mode of election they want for their primaries.
The development no doubt, has put the National Assembly in the eye of the storm as some concerned Nigerians are calling on it to override the President’s veto while others are urging it to widen the option of primaries for the political parties as advised by the President for the bill to see the light of the day.
Whichever way it goes, time will tell, when the National Assembly resumes on the 18th of January, 2022.
Year 2021 was, no doubt, one of up and downs for the federal lawmakers in the eyes of the public.
