National Assembly resumes legislative duties on Tuesday, as lawmakers finally resume work, after weeks of recess, and from political party primaries.
The resumption saw almost a full house, as the lawmakers were seen exchanging pleasantries with their colleagues, and possibly discussing all the outcome of the political primaries in their various political parties.
Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki who led the resumption read the following letters:
1. Presidential Decision to decline assent to The Chartered Institute of Entrepreneurship (Establishment) Bill, 2018;
2. Presidential Decision to decline assent to The Subsidiary Legislation (Legislative Scrutiny) Bill, 2018;
3. Presidential Decision to decline assent to The National Agricultural Seeds Council Bill, 2018;
4. Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offenses Bill (2018) for passage into law;
5. Presidential Decision to decline assent to The National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (Establishment) Bill, 2018;
6. Presidential Decision to decline assent to The National Research and Innovation Council (Establishment) Bill, 2017;
7. Presidential Decision to decline assent to The Nigerian Maritime Administration And Safety Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2017;
8. Presidential Decision to decline assent to The Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2017;
9. Presidential decision to decline assent to The Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018;
10. Request for confirmation of the appointment of Olanipekun Olukoyede, Esq as the secretary of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC);
11. Presidential Decision to decline assent to The Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) (Amendment) Bill, 2018;
12. Declining assent to five constitution of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration) Amendment Bills Passed by The National Assembly (Namely, Bills No. 8, No. 15, No. 22, No. 24 And No. 28;
13. Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) 2018 Statutory Budget Proposal;
14. Request for the resolutions of the National Assembly For: 1. the implementation of the new external capital raising of USD 2.786 billion from the international capital market approved in the 2018 appropriation act; and 2. the external capital raising of USD 82.54 million .to refinance the balance of USD 500 million matured eurobond in the international capital market;
15. Presidential Decision to decline assent to The Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, 2018; and
16. Declined assent to The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, 2018.
After all these were read, Majority leader Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan cites order 43 and states that the Senate should take the advantage to study all the bills that were returned to the Senate and understand what the real issues are:
“I believe we will have something to learn from this.”
Ahmad Lawan raises a motion on the deaths of former Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. B. U. Nzeribe and Hon. Funke Adedoyin and moves that all legislative activities be suspended until the next legislative day.
Senate then resolves to:
Observe a minute silence in honour of the departed souls.
Senator Ahmad Lawan moves that all other items on the order paper be stood down to another legislative day. Senator Biodun Olujimi seconds.
Plenary is adjourned to Wednesday, 10th October 2018 .
We now wait till Wednesday to see whether the issue of impeachment will come up, as both Chambers of the National Assembly are presently being headed by minority party of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are alleged to be the minority