Senators under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tuesday kicked against the legalisation of power rotation among the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
A Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) lawmaker representing Benue South, Patrick Moro, had sponsored a bill titled ‘A bill for an Act to Provide for the Rotation of Power and for other related matters therein 2022’, which seeks to legalise the rotation of power across the various geographical divides in the country, during plenary on Tuesday.
Senator Moro in his debate argued that “if there is a law on power rotation in Nigeria, it will help to ameliorate the squabble for power, particularly, the presidency across the various six geo-political zones and also promote unity in the country.”
However, the bill faced strong opposition as many of the senators, particularly APC members, who contributed to the debate vehemently argued against it and the manner in which it was presented.
The motion was first opposed by the APC senator representing Kebbi South, Bala Na’Allah, who said the bill should have been presented as one seeking to amend relevant provisions of the constitution.
He said, “In as much as it good for power to rotate across the various divides in the country, none of the provisions of the 1999 constitution, gives room for that because it throws such privilege open to all Nigerians at all times.
“Without legislation or law on power rotation, a minority like former President Goodluck Jonathan became president of this country few years back just as we have a minority in person of our reverred president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, leading the ninth Senate.
“So, I don’t think there is any need for a specific law to be put in place for power rotation and even if any move is to be made in that direction, it has to be through constitution amendment.”
The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, in his contribution, also kicked against the bill, making similar submissions like Bala Na’Allah.
“To deprive somebody of the right to run for office through a piece of legislation, contrary to the constitution, will render that Act, null and void,” the APC lawmaker representing Delta Central explained.
Omo-Agege would go on to mock PDP senators, whom he said were speaking based on sentiments.
If the PDP senators are serious, he said, they should “plead with their presidential candidate to step down so that power can come to the South. Why wait to codify this into law?”
Following other reservations, Senator Moro hurriedly withdrew the bill through Order 42 of the Senate Standing Rules.
He said after listening to the debate from colleagues, he would step down the legislation, make further amendments and present it in a proper manner on another legislative day.
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