Senators, Reps desert NASS

Senators, Reps desert NASS
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By Our Reporter  on October 22, 2015   COVER

◾PDP lawmakers can’t stop Amaechi–Ndume
From Fred Itua and Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
MEMBERS of both chambers of the National Assembly yesterday deserted their offices. While over half of the Senators besieged the Code of Con­duct Tribunal (CCT), Abuja venue of the trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, a large number of members of the House of Representa­tives did not turn up for the day’s ple­nary.
The Lower Chamber had barely commenced the business of the day, when the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, adjourned plenary sitting to Thursday. Daily Sun gathered that the sudden adjournment was to enable the Speaker attend the Council of State meeting in Aso Rock later in the day.
It was further gathered that the ad­journment became necessary in view of the absence of the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yusuf Sulaimon Lasun, who is leading the Nigerian delegation to the meeting of the International Par­liamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, Switzerland.
The busy corridors of the Red Chamber was almost deserted. Be­sides a handful of legislative aides and staff of the National Assembly, the Senate wing of the National As­sembly was virtually empty. Security was also relaxed, while the parking lots reserved for lawmakers were half empty.
Meanwhile, the war over the de­layed screening and confirmation of former governor of Rivers State, Chi­buike Rotimi Amaechi, has assumed a worrisome dimension, as the Senate leadership is set to confront Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators who have vowed to frustrate his clearance.
PDP caucus in the Senate resolved on Tuesday night after a closed-door meeting not to support the confirma­tion of Amaechi.
A PDP Senator who spoke on condi­tion of anonymity had revealed after the meeting that they were set “for war with members of the All Progressives Congress (APC)” over their refusal to support Amaechi’s confirmation.
The lawmaker said they based their opposition on the constitutional re­quirement that no minister who has been indicted by any panel should be confirmed as minister of the Federal Republic.
But the Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), while briefing journalists in Abuja yester­day, opposed the position of PDP members. He boasted that the Senate being dominated by members of the ruling APC will rely on its numeri­cal strength to outwit PDP Senators to confirm Amaechi