National Assembly Roundup: Akpabio’s comment, Kekere-Ekun’s confirmation, NASS staff retirement age bill, other top stories from Senate

Akpabio’s comment on Nigerians’ suffering

The Senate resumed plenary last Tuesday after about two months of annual recess.

The plenary commenced with a welcome address by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who acknowledged that Nigerians struggle to survive due to President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms.

Mr Akpabio said the National Assembly knew that Nigerians were grappling with the harsh realities of inflation, high cost of living, unpredictable markets, and economic sabotage.

The senate president sympathised with Nigerians but claimed that the administration of President Tinubu did not cause the problem.

Mr Akpabio said the upper chamber would prioritise the security of lives and properties. He also encouraged his colleagues to face their constitutional responsibilities seriously.

Senators mourn colleague Ifeanyi Ubah

Also, on Tuesday, the Senate adjourned sitting in honour of its deceased member, Ifeanyi Ubah, the Anambra South senator.

Mr Ubah, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), died at the age of 52 years in a London hospital after a brief illness in July when the senators were on recess.

Until his death, Mr Ubah was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream.

After reading his welcome address, the Senate president directed the lawmakers to observe a minute of silence in honour of the deceased and thereafter adjourned the plenary in accordance with the tradition of the federal legislature.

Rejection of retirement age bill

President Bola Tinubu refused to sign a bill seeking to extend the tenure of service of legislative staff at the National Assembly from 35 to 40 years and their retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

The notice was conveyed in a letter read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during the plenary on Tuesday.

In the letter, President Tinubu said he decided to withhold assent to the bill after careful examination and consultation.

He urged the National Assembly staffers and its management to accept the decline with understanding.

Senate confirms Kekere-Ekun as CJN

On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The Senate president announced Mrs Kekere-Ekun’s confirmation after the Committee of the Whole cleared her by voice vote.

In a brief speech, Mr Akpabio congratulated Mrs Kekere-Ekun and urged her to uphold the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.

Akpabio’s thumbs down for senior lawyers

Meanwhile, during Mrs Kekere-Ekun’s screening, Mr Akpabio advised her to punish senior lawyers who appear on television to criticise the nation’s judiciary or comment on court cases.

The senate president said the lawyers always appear on Politics Today (a programme on Channels TV) to comment on cases before either the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court.

“I would say that recently, very senior members of the bar, we all know them. They are fond of being on Politics Today. They were commenting on cases before the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court. And this wasn’t the case in the past.

“We are saying, under your tenure, will there be a procedure where you bring them to justice? Because they ought not to. Because their comments and their analyses tend to influence the final outcome of those cases and, in most instances, tend to bring about injustice.

“They will go out there, instead of arguing the cases in the court, they will go and sit down on television and be arguing the cases on television,” Mr Akpabio said.

South-west Development Commission

A bill seeking to establish the South West Development Commission (SWDC) was passed in the Senate on Thursday.

The upper chamber passed the bill after considering the report of its Committee on Special Duties, presented by Kaka Shehu, clause by clause at the Committee of the Whole.

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, then announced the bill’s passage after most lawmakers supported it in a voice vote.

The bill was sponsored by Gbenga Daniel, the senator representing Ogun West District.

The South-west zone comprises Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states.

The bill will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent after harmonisation with the House of Representatives.

Special security outfit for mining sites

On Thursday, a bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service (NMRS) passed a second reading at the Senate.

The bill was sponsored by Onawo Ogoshi (PDP, Nasarawa South).

It was then referred to the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals for further legislative action.

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, directed the committee to report back to the Senate in one week.

The outfit will secure mining sites, curb illegal mining activities and enforce environmental compliance.