Some Nigerian senators on
Thursday said in spite of the current six-week recess by the National Assembly,
the lawmakers were engage in legislative activities.
The senators, who spoke in separate interviews with NAN in Abuja, said the complaints by Nigerians that lawmakers had sat for only
15 days since inauguration was baseless.
Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume,
said that the National Assembly was not unmindful of the desires of Nigerians
to reposition the country.
He explained that the recess
would not in any way affect their commitment to their duties as lawmakers.
Ndume said that Nigerians needed not to doubt the commitment of members of the
assembly, adding that each of the chambers could reconvene to attend to
emergency cases while on recess, if need be.
“We have the interest of this
country at heart and we are ready to set a record; though we are on recess, we
will continue to work behind the scenes,’’ he said.
Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP-Abia
North) said that though the six weeks recess was statutory, it was a working
period for the lawmakers. He explained that the seven weeks break earlier
embarked upon by the lawmakers was to enable the All Progressives Congress
(APC) to settle its problems.
Ohuabunwa added that the period
was also used to prepare offices for full take-off of legislative activities.
“The Senate is working. You have
come to interview me in the office and you can see I have been having meetings.
We are on recess for only plenary and not from other activities. Yesterday, I
attended the meeting of the Ad hoc Committee on Aviation to prepare a template
on issues in the sector.
“It is unfortunate that we went
on that break, and I think that was where the problem came and reason was
because we needed to get this place fixed and get our arts together. The
parliament runs a timetable and you know that parliament world over, including
Nigeria, the month of August is normally our annual vacation,‘’ he said.
He dismissed fears that the
recess would slow down the process of governance, adding that the National
Assembly would not hesitate to reconvene in the event of any matter of national
interest.
“If there is anything urgent, the
Assembly would be recalled to take that emergency. We are going to be on
working holiday; for instance, I have been called upon to represent the Senate
somewhere on Aug. 23, so you can see we are working,’’ he said.
On his part, Sen. Chukwuka Utazi
(PDP-Enugu North) said the National Assembly was only on recess from plenary.
According to him, plenary was only an aspect of our job and as such the recess
should not be misconstrued.
“The Senate is working. You have
come to interview me in the office and you can see I have been having meetings.
We are on recess for only plenary and not from other activities. Yesterday, I
attended the meeting of the Ad hoc Committee on Aviation to prepare a template
on issues in the sector.
“If I am on vacation you will not
see me here. I am working and I will still be here tomorrow. People should not
mistake plenary for other activities. It is not only when Senate sits that we
work,’’ he said.
The lawmaker said it was wrong
for Nigerians to assume that they were not working enough, and however, assured
that the National Assembly would not relent in its effort to deliver the
dividends of democracy.
Credit: The News
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