The Senate has announced a plan to screen and confirm, where necessary, the appointments of the new Service Chiefs in 14 days.
Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Majority leader while chatting with journalists on Tuesday said the Senate is ready for full legislative activities.
This is as he admitted that the upper chamber still needs to constitute committees before the end of the month.
Speaking on the creation of committees, he noted that within one week the Red Chamber will constitute a selection committee that would constitute all the committees in the Senate.
He added, “The new leadership has emerged for the 10th Senate and all I can assure you on behalf of myself and my colleagues is that we see it as an assignment. It is an assignment that we take very seriously.
“By the grace of God we’ll be able to make a difference that will be positive that will be worth the effort of all of you that worked with us in ensuring that the two presiding officers emerged in a manner that was not rancorous, in a manner that was not only democratic but transparent.
“But of course, the emergence of the remaining principal officers of the 10th Senate was not an issue that was meant to be decided on the floor but rather it was an issue which on the one hand as related to the All Progressives Congress (APC) needed to be decided among the critical stakeholders of the party.
“In our party, the APC, everything is in order. What was read today was a consensus,” Bamidele said, admitting that it was an unusual situation that is growing Nigeria’s nascent democracy.
“It was an unusual situation that showed the growth of democracy in Nigeria. Votes of Nigerians are beginning to count,” Bamidele said of the number of opposition lawmakers they have from seven political parties.”
Meanwhile, the Senate Leader explained the method adopted by members of six political parties for the emergence of the minority principal officers saying that it was not entirely political party’s affairs.
“On the other hand, with respect to the minority parties, again it wasn’t entirely a party affair. Because it wasn’t a typical situation where you have one opposition party but rather six political parties were involved.
“50 of our colleagues were involved so rather than it being a decision to be taken at the secretariat of political parties it was more of a decision taken by members who were elected on the platform of the six minority parties and 38 of them by virtue of their signature took a decision as to who their leaders would be and of course this was also communicated to their respective political parties and as democrats all the presiding officers did was to follow suit because more than a single majority had decided.
“It had been a no victor no vanquish situation. We are happy eventually a leadership has emerged for the 10th senate”, said Bamidele
“For us the next task is to ensure we hit the ground running so that from tomorrow we are able to take steps that will show that we have a clear understanding of what is to be done. The first task ahead of us is to constitute special committees of the 10th Senate. Our rules make provision for six special committees.
“Before long, during the month of July we’ll ensure all the committees special and standing committees are properly constituted so that every senator can get busy based on their own professional background and can properly fit into the sector where they can add value.
“We are ready to attempt to correspond with the executive.”
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Plateau Central, Diket Plang, has said that they’ll ensure that the service chiefs appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are screened very well to know their capacity in stemming the security challenges in the country.
According to Plang, the service chiefs won’t “take a bow and go,” because Nigeria wants capable hands to tackle the worsening insecurity in the country,” he said.
- FG moves to secure natural resources, as presidential committee meets service chiefs - January 25, 2024
- Kogi govt pays JAMB registration fees for 15,033 public school students - January 24, 2024
- Edo Guber: APC debunks aspirants screening disqualification rumours - January 24, 2024
