₦airaland Forum

By Tony Egbulefu

The anger, seething in the National Assembly against the presidency over its failure to disburse constituency projects funds to members of the national legislators, may soon snowball into an open confrontation between the legislature and the executive.

Hon Namdas, chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, confirmed to LEADERSHIP Sunday that anger is brewing in the House over the unwillingness of the executive to release fund for National Assembly members’ constituency projects.

Asked whether the House members are agitated over the fact that fund for the execution of their constituency projects has not been released by the executive, he said: “It is actually true. I am a member of the 8th Assembly. We are happy with the President who has graciously approved constituency projects to us. But it is one thing to approve and another thing to implement. All of us have given out our constituency projects, depending on what individual legislator needs in his constituency. We have submitted and it has been approved in our budget, but as I talk to you, no fund has been released in respect to constituency projects. In fact what we even hear from highly placed government functionary is that constituency projects will not be implemented.”

Namdas faulted the position of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, to the effect that the federal government has no money for the lawmakers’ constituency projects noting “this is not the best of statements, because budget is a law, you cannot chose which part of the law to implement and which part not to implement.

“It is not their duty. That is why you have to assent. If the president does not like constituency projects, it is the president that will refuse to assent and he will give reasons for not assenting, but you cannot assent to a law and then start prioritizing on the areas you think you will implement in the law. No! For somebody to say we will not implement constituency projects is a disaster.”

It would be recalled that Lawal, secretary to the Government of the Federation had disclosed that the federal government cannot fund the constitutional projects due to paucity of funds, prompting an angered Senate to summon him for further clarifications.

The SGF stood his ground that the government cannot fund the constituency projects of federal lawmakers given the fact its revenue has dropped by about 50 to 60 per cent this year.

Meanwhile, as controversy rages over the proposed constitutional immunity for the presiding officers of the National Assembly, the Special Ad hoc Committee on Constitutional Review has fashioned a new approach to be adopted in pushing the clause through the constitution.

The committee which is put in place for constitutional amendment rather than submit a constitutional amendment document to the President Muhammed Buhari for assent, will present constitutionally amended items, clause by clause to the president for assent. This is to forestall a situation, where the president can decide to withhold his assent to the entire documents because of few issues of disagreement with the National Assembly, as it has always been the case.

Immunity clause for presiding officers of the National Assembly was part of the 2015 Constitutional Review Bill, which former President Jonathan denied his assent. The immunity clause in the said 2015 review Bill met all constitutional thresholds of two-third votes from members of the House of Representatives, the Senate, and approval by two-third majority of state houses of assemblies, but could not see the light of the day following a blanket denial of assent to the document by former president Jonathan.

As the National Assembly gears up for yet another constitutional amendment, Abdulrazak Namdas said there will now rather be a clause by clause submission to the president,

This is to ensure that the immunity clause, and any other one for that matter, which the lawmakers wish to infuse into the constitution would not suffer same fate.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP Sunday, Namdas, said “The Immunity Bill was introduced in the 7th Assembly. Had it been that the former president signed the constitutional amendment at that time, it would have been history today; this law would have been operating. The records are there to show: they got 2/3 in the Senate, 2/3 in the House of Reps, and 2/3 in the states’ houses of assembly; but because the clause was wrapped into the document and the president refused to sign. That is why the proposal by the present special ad hoc committee, is that each clause will be given to the president clause by clause. If you disagree with A, take it down, if you agrees with Y, just assent to it,” Namdas disclosed.

Namdas  reiterated that “The clause is strictly only for the Senate president and his deputy and the speaker and his deputy, and I am surprised that somebody who is number three in Nigeria does not deserve immunity, when governors and their deputies have immunity, I think they are being unfair.

“What was the reason behind even giving immunity to president, vice president, governors and deputy governors? The immunity was given so that they don’t get distracted from their job. Then why would you allow an arm of government as critical as the National Assembly not to have immunity for its four principal officers, so that they won’t be distracted?”

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omenka:
When would these people ever fight for any altruistic course in their greedy pathetic lives??

If na their money matter, na so you go see them dey charge blockus and eyeballs upandan- when it comes to executing issues for the greater good of the nation, you see them retreat into their shells like a snail that got in contact with salt.

What a crying shame.

omenka:
When would these people ever fight for any altruistic course in their greedy pathetic lives??

If na their money matter, na so you go see them dey charge blockus and eyeballs upandan- when it comes to executing issues for the greater good of the nation, you see them retreat into their shells like a snail that got in contact with salt.

What a crying shame.

LORDOFAFONJAS:
Who sold wailers form to omenka?

koboko69:
Be sensible. It is not everything that is about wailers and Apc supporters. U these kids have turned politics section to your play ground. Once in a while they to use ur grey matter, except ehat u have protected by ur skill is cooked noodles.

koboko69:
Be sensible. It is not everything that is about wailers and Apc supporters. U these kids have turned politics section to your play ground. Once in a while they to use ur grey matter, except ehat u have protected by ur skill is cooked noodles.