Senate passes vote of confidence on Saraki, Ekweremadu others

The Senate yesterday passed a vote of confidence on Senate President, Bukola Saraki and other principal officers of the National Assembly.

In a rehash of the July plenary where 81 senators passed the confidence vote on the Saraki leadership, 83 senators sponsored the motion which culminated in the passing of a second vote of confidence in two months.

This followed a motion by David Umaru (APC, Niger East) and seconded by Ahmed Sanni (Zamfara Central).

Umaru said, “The Senate shall not allow itself to be distracted, deterred, or succumb to cheap blackmail in the course of carrying out its constitutional responsibilities by any individual or group of people under any pretense or guise, for personal political interest”.

In its resolution, the upper chamber called on Nigerians not to allow themselves to be “used by any person or persons to harass, intimidate or blackmail the Senate”.

A breakdown of the figure shows that of the 83 senators that sponsored the motion, 48 are PDP members, while 35 are APC members.

Prominent among PDP members on the list are former Senate President, David Mark, as well as Godswill Akpabio, Jonah Jang, Theodore Orji while APC senators include: Shehu Sani, Adamu Aliero, Bukar Ibrahim and Kabiru Gaya.

However, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Jide Omoworare (Osun East), said he was not notified of the motion, asking that his name be struck  off the list.

A drama however ensued when Kabir Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central) raised a Point of Order after the motion had been unanimously endorsed.

Speaking under Order 53 Rule 5 of the Senate Standing Orders, the Senator said his constituents were happy with his action and spoke loudly against the Senate President’s ruling for not allowing him to speak earlier.

Attempts by Isah Misau (APC, Bauchi Central) to caution him against disobeying the Senate President, further angered Marafa, as he showered uncomplimentary words on the lawmaker.

Although Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, apologised to Nigerians for the development, the Senate, however, cautioned that this would be the last time the apex chamber will condone such behaviour from the senator, threatening to mete out disciplinary measures should it repeat itself.

Senate spokesperson, Dino Melaye who spoke to journalists shortly after Tuesday’s plenary, said the legislator’s actions contravenes three parts of  Section 56 of the Standing Rules.

He said the ministerial nominees will be screened diligently and expeditiously, stressing that “The era of ‘bow and go’ are over.

Earlier, Saraki said the Senate was yet to receive a communication from the President on the ministerial list.

In his address of welcome from the six-week recess at Tuesday’s plenary, Saraki disclosed that the ministerial list was yet to be submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari and called on parliament to put national interest above personal interest in the screening and confirmation of the nominees.

He also stated that the Senate would review the performance of the 2015 budget.

The House of Representatives had earlier set up an adhoc committee over non-implementation of the N556 billion capital expenditure in the N4.493 trillion 2015 budget.

Said Saraki: “The biggest challenge faced by our country today is the state of our economy. The dwindling oil revenue has brought enormous shock to our economy and greatly limited the capacity of government at various levels to meet even basic commitments.

“Our country has gone through periods of recession in the past. What we face today is however unprecedented in ramification and potential gravity. We must think hard and work hard with the Executive to achieve greater clarity in policy direction and interventions.

“We shall therefore commence immediately, a review of the 2015 budget and begin now to lay down the fundamental principles that would determine the 2016 budget and the philosophy of our economy in times like this”.

In another development, some protesters besieged the National Assembly Complex in Abuja yesterday, calling on the Presidency not to victimise the Senate leadership.

The two groups – Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo Youth movement and Coalition of Civil Society Media Executives (COCMEP) – with placards of various inscriptions, asked the Senate president not to resign.

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE