Politics
Reps on war path with Senate over bills sent to Buhari, budget hearing
There is a cold war brewing between the Senate and the House of Representatives over 18 bills recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari and the ongoing public hearing on the 2017 budget by both chambers.
Spokesman of the House, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas who complained to some journalists during a private meeting, accused his counterpart in the Senate, Senator Abdullahi Sabi of taking the ‘shine’ away from them.
Hon. Namdas told the select journalists who were in attendance in confidence that out of the 18 bills signed into law, the House of Representatives passed 17, while the Senate passed only one.
He said the Senate, in accordance with the law, only concurred, after which they were forwarded to the Executive. He said the Senate, through its spokesman, recently released an info-graphic, where it claimed that the bills were their brainchild.
Namdas said no reference was made to the role played by the House, despite initiating the bills and passing them before forwarding them to the Senate.
Read also: Mimiko plans N.5bn ‘parting gifts’ for politicians –APC alleges
On the issue of the budget, Namdas claimed that the idea to hold a historic public hearing on the 2017 budget, was birthed by the House of Representatives, but was again hijacked by the Senate.
He said the Senate spokesman, again, released a statement last week, informing Nigerians of the public hearing which is currently ongoing. He said in the statement, Senator Sabi claimed that the public hearing was the idea of the Senate.
Asked whether the issue will be taken up by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Hon. Namdas said a formal complaint has been submitted to the Senate leadership.
The Senate is yet to officially or unofficially respond to claims made by Namdas.
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Balarabe musa
February 13, 2017 at 4:43 pm
There is nothing like hijack. After all the Senate are the seniors. There are meat meant only for the aged ones and not the youngs.
seyi jelili
February 13, 2017 at 5:11 pm
Both of them are saddled with the responsibility of oversight functions and no one is bigger than the other as both make laws for the country. The Senate should tread lightly to avoid legislative war.
yanju omotodun
February 13, 2017 at 4:46 pm
Thank God it is a cold war and not a physical war. Cold War is just an ideological war like that of USSR and the US then. So let the war continue as long it doesn’t involve guns and bombs or throwing up of chairs at each other.
Amarachi Okoye
February 14, 2017 at 7:06 am
Is there any war that does not involve such violence..Our Senate’s should treat things amicable
Animashaun Ayodeji
February 13, 2017 at 5:17 pm
Credit has always been a major issue between Nigerians, this has also been extended to the house of rep and the senate. It would have costed the senate nothing to give house of rep credit.
Roland Uchendu Pele
February 13, 2017 at 5:19 pm
“On the issue of the budget, Namdas claimed that the idea to hold a historic public hearing on the 2017 budget, was birthed by the House of Representatives, but was again hijacked by the Senate.”
Something is wrong with us o! Does it matter whose idea it was? Come on!
Margret Dickson
February 13, 2017 at 5:22 pm
Let them keep barking like they are there to represent their personal interests. The people they are representing don’t care who’s idea it was, so far it’s of public interest, we are cool.