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The Senate on Wednesday began moves
to legalise lobbying in Nigeria as it
passed for second reading, a Bill
seeking for law to register and regulate
lobbying as a profession.
The “Bill for an Act for the Regulation
and Registration of Lobbyists in Nigeria
and for other matters connected
therewith, 2016’’ is sponsored by Dino
Melaye, (APC, Kogi West).
While presenting his lead debate, Mr.
Melaye argued that the National
Assembly needed to recognise and
approve professional lobbyists in the
legislature.
He added that the Bill would also
make provision for intending lobbyist
to be duly registered under the
Company and Allied and Matters Act.
Mr. Melaye said that the lobbyist after
being registered with Corporate Affairs
Commission (CAC) would also have to
register with the Ministry of Justice to
practice as lobbyist in the Senate or
House of Representatives.
He defined lobbying as an activity in
which special interests hire well-
connected professional advocates, often
lawyers, to argue for specific legislation
in parliament.
He said that although the bill looked
controversial and perceived as
negative, lobbying took place at every
level of government.
“The bill will create stricter
registration requirement for lobbyists
and also require lobbyists to disclose
how much they make and spend on
lobbying.
“It will ban lobbyist from paying for gifts and food as
a means of inducement and it would give oversight
agencies more powers to investigate violation of
ethics laws,” he said.
The lawmaker added that the Bill will also offer the
legislator opportunity to be more informed about a
bill before it comes for reading.
According to him, the lobbyists will be readily
available to inform the legislators of the idea behind
the Bill being pushed.
Many senators, including Ben Bruce, Godswill
Akpabio, and Mohammed Ali Ndume, who spoke,
supported the Bill.
They argued that when passed, the Bill would help
legislators to sponsor individual bills.
The senate referred the Bill to its Committee on
Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, with a
directive to report back in three weeks.
(NAN)