There was drama in the Senate during the adoption of the report of the Conference Committee on the amendment of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which highlights include the controversial reordering of the 2019 general elections made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Nazif Suleiman, presented the report on Wednesday during plenary.
While presenting the report, the section allowing for the reordering of the sequence of elections did not satisfy some Senators and this was shown in their mannerisms during the presentation.
It is important to note that on the 6th of February, the Conference Committee of both chambers approved the House of Representatives’ version, which allows the National Assembly’s election to occur before the presidential poll.
Speaking on this, Sen. Ovie Omo-agege (APC, Delta) immediately coming under order 47 stood to express his grievances about the section.
But the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki ruled him out of order saying; “Institutions are what is important, we are senators, we have come we would finish our term and go. We must continue to strengthen institutions.
“By so doing we must follow the procedures that would always lead at all times no matter what the subject matter is. For conference report, this has been the procedure. As such with all due respect I have to rule you out of order.”
Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano) under order 87 (c) also queried the section especially because it was not debated by the red chamber.
Order 87 reads: “The conference committee shall deliberate only within the Senate and the House of Representatives. The conference committee shall not insert in its report any matter not committee to it by either Senate or House of Representatives.”
Based on this, Sen. Gaya said: “This report of sequence of election was never discussed in the Senate here. So why are we bringing it up here?”
Saraki tried lobbying the “ranking senator”, he said: “You are a ranking Senator and I have all the utmost respect for you. Distinguished colleagues in my comments, I said this institution we must protect it. I know this politics is local and I appreciate that.
“As much as it is local, we also have to maintain integrity of this institution. So I have heard you and I am sure your constituency too has heard you. But I am sorry I have to rule you out of order.”
This aggravated more shouts by protesting lawmakers but the president of the red chamber ruled the “Nays” out of order.
