ALLAFRICA.COM
DAILY TRUST [03/02/13]
By Turaki A. Hassan
Last week, several activities occurred within the hallowed green chambers of the House of Representatives which climaxed on Thursday when Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal cancelled the scheduled public presentation of the report of the People's Public Session held in the 360 Federal constituencies on November 10th, 2012. This followed allegations that the document was doctored to favour certain interests.
The hearing, the first of its kind in the democratic history of Nigeria was more of a pseudo- referendum and many Nigerians have waited with bated breath for the results to be released.
But indications that something was wrong began to dawn on stakeholders when they waited for nearly two hours with no sign of the Speaker Tambuwal who was billed to chair the event.
When Tambuwal, along with other officers, came into the venue at about noon, he announced that the event was cancelled.
Majority of the people at the constituency hearings had canvassed for the retention of the four-year renewable term for governors and president, but the report that was to be presented last Thursday recommended the adoption of single tenure of 5, 6 or 7 years.
Also, during the week, MPs unanimously passed a resolution condemning last week's judgement of an Abuja High court which convicted an assistant director with the Police Pension Commission Mr. John Yakubu Yusuf of misappropriating N38 billion describing it as "mild".
Adopting a motion on the urgent need to revisit the case sponsored by House Minority Whip Rep. Samson Osagie (ACN, Edo) and nine others, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Attorney General of the Federation Mohammed Bello Adoke to appeal the judgement.
Similarly, on Thursday, the green chamber asked the federal government to "urgently" conduct a referendum for Nigerians in the oil rich Bakassi peninsula ceded to the republic of Cameroon.
MPs argued that the peninsula remained part of Nigeria because the National Assembly did not ratify the International agreement that ceded Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon and that Bakassi is still in the constitution.
The lawmakers said it is important to allow the people of the area to decide whether they would stay as citizens of the Republic of Cameroon or remain part of Nigeria.
The House resolution followed to a motion moved by Rep. Ekpenyong Ayi (PDP, Cross River) who contended that the Bakassi people have right to self-determination by virtue their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
Following weeks of hot exchanges between former minister of education Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili and the Presidency over mismanagement of Nigeria's foreing reserve, the House within the week launched investigations into the alleged mismanagement of Nigeria's $67 billion (USD) foreign reserve and Excess Crude Account.
Adopting a motion on the matter sponsored by Rep. Umar Bature (PDP, Sokoto), the green chamber mandated its committees on Finance and Appropriations to conduct an investigative hearing and report back in six weeks.
A major step was also taken on the ongoing efforts to abolish the various states electoral commissions to grant full autonomy to local government councils.
The green chamber on Tuesday consolidated two bills each seeking to alter the 1999 constitution to, "abolish the state Electoral Commissions to ensure free and fair conduct of all elections to local councils in the Federation"
Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Suleiman Kawu Sumaila who is sponsoring of the bills had argued that allowing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct local government elections in Nigeria will go along way in ensuring the independence and autonomy of the third tier of government in Nigeria.
The House had also mandated its Committee on Petroleum Resources, Upstream to carry out a comprehensive investigation on the sale of Oil Mining Licence (OML) 30 to an alleged questionable oil exploring company.
This was sequel to a motion brought by Rep Tajudeen Yusuf (PDP, Kogi) and seconded by Rep Sunday Adepoju (ACN Oyo under Matter of Urgent National Interest.
Apparently worried by the incessant complaints by motorists over the identity of the particular company or agent overseeing a particular area, and the war over who is in charge of a particular area, the House also mandated it's committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to investigate the alleged inhuman activities of companies commissioned by FCT Administration to enforce motor parking regulations and parking fees collection in Abuja and report back to the house within four weeks.
The legislators however, threw out a bill which sought move exclusive breast feeding for women working in public and private sectors compulsory. Sponsored by Rep. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas(ACN, Lagos), its proponents had called for an avenue for nursing mothers to bring their babies to place of work to enable adequate breastfeeding for the day for the improvement of the Health of new born babies in Nigeria.
Rep. Kigbu Haruna (CPC, Nasarawa) had made a passionate appeal to his colleagues because of what he called, "the difficulties nursing mothers experience when going back to their homes. Going back home after a hectic day in office will not be conducive for women to breast-feed their babies".
Similar to this, was a bill seeking to grant women duel indegenship on which members were sharply divided over a bill seeking to amend the Federal Character Act to allow women lay claims to both their states of origin or of marriage in applying for appointments in government.
The extant law allows a married woman to lay claim to her husband's state of origin when applying for any position while the proposed amendment was sponsored by Reps Rapheal Nnanna Igbokwe (PDP, Imo) and Bassey Ewa (PDP, Cross Rivers).
MPs had argued that the recent controversy in the nomination of Justice Ifeoma Jumbo-Offor relating to her suitability for the Justice of Supreme Court representing Anambra State is a clear example.
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