Why National Assembly Is Not Reconvening Today – Saraki, Dogara
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The Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have said no date has been fixed for the National Assembly to reconvene to consider the 2019 budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The leaders of the two chambers disclosed this on Tuesday, in a statement signed by their media aides, Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan.
They noted that both the Senate and the House of Representatives cannot meet because there was no report to consider.
“The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have directed that we inform all Senators, Honorable members and the public that a date has not been set for the reconvening of the Senate and the House of Representatives to consider the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018.
“The leadership of the two chambers had met and agreed to reconvene to consider the proposal this week before which a meeting between the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the INEC must have held on or before Monday, August 13, 2018.
“The joint committees were also expected to meet with the joint Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Loans and Debts on the Eurobond loan request after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.
“However, no such meeting had taken place yet as a result of which both Senate and House of Representatives cannot reconvene as there is no report to consider,” the statement read.
The two leaders said further that the National Assembly will not reconvene, “Until the Committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers.”
They added that it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.
The Senate and House of Representatives were expected to reconvene for a special session this week, following a meeting with INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, last week.
The session is expected to consider among other things a N242 billion budget for the 2019 elections.
President Muhammadu Buhari had urged the National Assembly to reconvene so as to approve N242 billion for the 2019 elections.
Last week, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Lasun, said the National Assembly would reconvene on Tuesday to consider the request.
However, contrary to the announcement made last week by Lasun, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Abdul-Razak Namdas, confirmed to Channels Television on Monday, August 13, that the House would not be reconvening on Tuesday because there was no firm decision to that effect.
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