National
Assembly Debates (Senate)
VOL. 1 No. 23 of Friday, 16th July, 1999
SENATE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
NIGERIA
(The Deputy
Senate President in the Chair)
The
Deputy Senate President: The Senate is called to order. Distinguished Senators, let
me quickly apologise for our starting late. Distinguished Senators will
remember that the proceedings of yesterday were very long, and we needed to
have a correct reflection of what happened in the Votes and proceedings. This
exercise took a little while, and that is the reason for the delay. Inspite of
that, I hope that we will have a well-guided, fair and objective deliberations.
So, let us please start with the Votes and Proceedings.
VOTES
AND PROCEEDINGS
Distinguished
Senators, we will now consider approval of the Votes and Proceedings as
contained in the Order Paper. Is there any amendment on pages 85 and 86
(silence) Also, is there any amendment on pages I and 2 of the annexure dealing
with the Composition of the Committees?
Senator
Matori Salisu (Bauchi South): On page 2 of the annexure, under
Federal Capital, there is neither a Chairman nor a Vice-Chairman.
The
Deputy President: That is correct. Is there any amendment on pages 3, 4 and 5
of the annexure?
Senator
Matori Salisu: Mr. President on page 5, under Health, there is a missing name
who is supposed to be the Vice-Chairman of that Committee.
The
Deputy President: Distinguished Senators, I think it is one of the
explanations offered by Mr. President that certain amendments would take place,
and this is one of the offices that would be announced later.
Senator
Florence Ita-Giwa (Cross River South): Mr. President, if I may refer you back
to page 86, where it is reported correctly that Senator Chuba Okadigbo declined
his appointment as the Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee. I wonder why his
name is still reflected on page 4 of the annexure as the Chairman of that
Committee I think that it is contradictory, since it is reported in the Votes
and Proceedings that he declined to serve as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs
Committee.
Senator
Alkali D. Mohammed (Jigawa NorthWest): Mr.
President, I have a Point of Order.
The
Deputy President: Yes, we will go to your Point of Order, but let us not
lose sight of this question.
Senator
Alkali D. Mohammed: Mr. President, on page 4 of the annexure, that is the
continuation of the membership of the Committee on Aviation (Interruption)
The
Deputy President: You said you were raising a Point of Order.
Senator
Alkali D. Mohammed: No, Sir. I wanted to correct my name. There is a D in
between my names and that is., Mohammed D. Alkali. It is the number six name on
the list.
Thank
you, Mr. President.
Senator
Wabara Adolphus (Abia South): Mr. President, on Senator Ita-Giwa's
query, I think that he is right in a way, but no decision has been reached yet.
Mr. Senate President has neither accepted nor refused Senator Okadigbo's
request. In my view, that is what actually happened yesterday.
Thank
you very much.
The
Deputy President: Distinguished Senator Ita Giwa, are you satisfied with the
answer?
Senator
Florence Ita-Giwa: Mr. President I asked the question because we are all
learning. I want to read out what is reflected in the Votes and proceedings:
Senator Chuba Okadigbo (Anambra North) noted his membership of the Committee of
National Planning, and Privatisation as well as his Chairmanship of Foreign
Affairs Committee. He observed that the pattern of the distribution of the
Chairmanship position was self evident and consequently declined to serve as
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
I
do not know whether or not there are people who are more knowledgeable in
this legislative procedure. If somebody
declined, should his name be reflected as being the Chairman of the Committee
that he has declined to serve on. I want a clarification. That is why I am
asking this question.
The
Deputy President: All, right, let us benefit from your experience in this
matter, Senator Idris Kuta.
Senator
Kuta I. Idris (Niger East): Mr. President, Sir, with regard to the
issue raised by Senator Ita Giwa, the Votes and proceedings has to reflect the
true position of what took place in the Chamber yesterday. The President of the
Senate announced the Chairmanship of the Standing Committees of the Senate, and
Senator Chuba ()kadigbo was assigned to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Senator
Chuba t)kadigbo raised an observation. declining his assigned Chairmanship of
the Foreign Affairs Committee. That does not negate the fact that he was
initially put on the Foreign Affairs Committee. There was no debate thereafter,
and no decision was taken as to whether or not to change or accept declining
the Chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Committee by Senator Chuba ()kadigbo.
Therefore, the Votes and Proceedings, as they stand now are the correct
position of what happened yesterday. It is now left for the Senate President
either to accept or not to accept the resignation of Senator Chuba Okadigbo as
the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the membership of all
Committees.
The
Deputy President: I hope that you are all right, distinguished Senator
lta-Giwa. That resolves the question, because even in the Votes and
Proceedings, it came under Observations which is properly explained by Senator
Ibrahim.
Thank
you very much.
Senator
Haruna Zeego Azeez (Plateau North): Mr. President, it looks to me that if
I do not take care, I will be losing my name. I
am supposed to be called Senator Haruna Zeego Azeez. I am losing one name at
the moment. Could that be corrected, because I have corrected them before and
they still make such mistakes?
Senator
Patrick Aga (Kogi Central): Mr. President, there is a lot of
inconsistency in the spelling of my name. When you go to Senator Patrick
Osakwe, it would be spelt correctly and unfortunately; when it comes to mine,
they would always lose the c by spelling it Patrik instead Patrick.
I
have not been complaining, because I thought that it was not very important.
But, the persistence has made me to complain.
The
Deputy President: I hope that they will not turn it to Patricia next time.
Senator
Patrick Aga:
That is my fear. (laughter) The Deputy President: Secretariat, please, take
note.
Senator
Aliyu M. Abubakar III. (Sokoto North): Mr. President, Sir, mine is also an observation
about my name which has been altered. On pages 3, 6, 7 and I I respectively,
My names there have all been altered.
On
page 11 and other pages, it was written
Senator Aliyu Abubukar while M and III are missing. It should be Senator Aliyu
M. Abubakar Ill.
The
Deputy President: Secretariat, please note those pages and effect the
corrections.
Senator
Abdala M. Wali (Sokoto South): Mr. President, Sir, there are some
omissions in the list. I want to call the attention of Mr. President to
Committee on Governmental Affairs which is on page 12- I am sorry please.
The
Deputy President: We will go back to page 5, please. The Senate Leader, you
can raise them seviatim as we move.
Senator
Arthur Nzeribe (Imo West): Mr. President, I have a Point of Order. I was just
searching for my book
Whilst
on that seat, you should not acknowledge superiority from any member by calling
him a Leader. I will give you the order in a minute.
The
Deputy President: It is well taken. Thank you very much.
Senator
Saidu Mohammed Dansadau (Zamfara Central): Mr. President, on page 6, under
Committee on Labour, my name was not properly reflected. It should read Saidu
Mohammed Dansadau, but Mohammed did not reflect; that is how it is on page 8. I
want Mohammed to be put in-between.
The
Deputy President: All right, it will be corrected by the Secretariat.
Let
me make a short clarification on this issue of names. I have been advised that
what the Secretariat is using is the compilation received from INEC. But, if it is the wish of Senators that
papers be sent round so that our names can be listed properly in the manner we
want them, it would be done. That is the way the INEC sent the names. We should
soon pass the papers and if you feel so strongly about it, you write you names
as you want them reflected.
Senator
Dansadau:
Mr. President, let the Clerks accept the mistakes that they made. It is not
true to say that they appeared as they were given by INEC. My name as given by
INEC is Saidu Mohammed Dansadau. So, let them accept their mistakes if they are
pointed out.
The
Deputy President: Let us go to page 7, is there anything to be corrected.
Senator
Zeego Haruna (Kaduna South): I would like the paper to be passed
round so that we can put our names correctly.
The
Deputy President: They are going to do so. We are still on page 7, any
corrections?
Let
us hear from Senator Bello.
Senator
Bello Hayatu Gwarzo (Kano North): Under the Committee on State and Local
Government, my name is reflected as Senator Alkali Bello Gwarzo while I am
Senator Bello Hayato Gwarzo. I want it reflected correctly.
The
Deputy President: Secretariat, please, reflect the name correctly.
Let
us pass on to page 8, any corrections? (No
response). We are now on page 9, any correction? I can see Senator Mbata raise
his hand. Let us hear from him.
Senator
John Azuta Mbata (Rivers East): I just want to say that my name was
reflected correctly on other pages except on page 9, that is under the
Committee on Finance and Appropriation. I want it corrected. It should read John Azuta Mbata.
The
Deputy President: The Secretariat has taken note of it; they will do the
correction.
Let
us turn to page 10 please, any correction? Let us hear from Senator Aluko.
Senator
Gbenga Aluko (Ekiti South): Under Committee on Information, the
second name there, Senator Bala Adamu is the Vice-Chairman. If you flip back to
page 5, under Committee on Science & Technology, you see Senator Bala again
as Vice -Chairman. So he is Vice-Chairman in two places. It is either we give
him one Vice-Chairmanship or we take all.
The
Deputy President: Thank you very much of course, that will form part of the amendment
we are making. Secretariat, kindly take note of that.
Let
us hear from Senator Ajayi.
Senator
Joseph Olatunji Ajayi (Ekiti North): My full name is Joseph Olatunji Ajayi,
not Olatunji Ajayi as reflected on item 13 of Committee on Information. I have
corrected it several times.
Thank
you.
The
Deputy President: Secretariat, please, note that and still pass that paper
round to distinguished Senators.
Senator
Silas J. Zwingna (Adamawa South): Although it does not concern me
personally, I have observed while going through the list that the name of
Senator Kura Mohammed has been omitted, unless I have not been able to sight it
correctly in any of the Committee. It looks it is conspicuously missing.
The
Deputy President: Distinguished Senator Zwingna, I think we will leave this.
Part of the
reason
why we have this omission is because in the compilation of the Votes and
Proceedings, the original or the master list was not available; they had to
work hard on the tape and play back. We have to take note of this and see if we
can reflect the correction. (lnterruptions).
Senator
Adeseye K. Ogunlewe (Lagos East): I was as referring you to page G, that
is Committee on Communication. The name of Ibrahim Kura is there. It is also
there on the Committee on Information.
The
Deputy President: Thank you, very much.
I
think his name has been found in the spirit of Federal Character, so there 'is
no cause for alarm, Senator Zwingna. Thank you, most (list distinguished
Senators.
Senator
Sylvanus Ngiji Ngele (Ebonyi North): Mr. President, talking on the omission
issue still, I want to remind you that nobody from Ebonyi Slate is Chairman of
any Committee.
The
Deputy President: Senator Ngele, what we are doing is to see whether or not
tile Votes and Proceedings before us is a true reflection of what transpired
yesterday in the Senate. Those other matters can be raised later on.
Thank
you. May we hear from Senator Osakwe.
Senator P. E. Osakwe (Delta North): I
am sorry, Mr. President, I am taking you back to page 3, though it is a minor
amendment. Under the Committee on Industries, after No. 9, instead of No. 10
you have Nos. 14, 15, 16 and 17. I am pointing, it out so that Senators will
not think that we have seventeen members under Committee on Industries. The
Deputy President: Thank you very much. Please Secretariat, take note and do the
necessary correction. Let us go back to page 10.
Senator
Idris Abubakar (Gombe South): Under Committee on Solid Minerals at
page 3, there is the same mistake. Instead of No. 9, you have No. 11 and below
you have another No. 11.
The
Deputy President: Please Secretariat take note of that mistake on page 3.
Thank
you, distinguished Senator Abubakar.
We
are still on page 10, any correction?
Senator
Osakwe (Delta North): Mr. President, under Committee on Niger Delta, No C.
Senator Patrick Osakwe is not correctly spelt. Patrick there is spelt without
c.
The
Deputy President: Let Secretariat take note of that. Let us go to page 11.
Senator Matori. you want to speak, I am sorry, I did not see you: you cannot be
unnoticed.
Senator
Salisu Matori (Bauchi South): Under Committee on Education, my name
is written Ibrahim D. Matori, that is on page 9. May be, they wanted to write S
otherwise. that is not correct. I do not have a D in my name.
The
Deputy President: They have taken note of that or maybe they wanted to put
your traditional title of Dan Masani. (Laughter)
Senator
Matori:
Well, I think that is what it is (Laughter)
The
Deputy President: Let us go
on to page I l.
Senator
Mohammed D. Alkali (Jigawa NorthWest): Thank you. Mr. President. On
page 11 under the Committee on Tourism and Culture the same slight ommision
occurred. There should be D in
the middle of my name. So, it should read Senator Mohammed D. Alkali
Thank
you very much.
Senator
Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa (Osun South): Mr. President,
at page 11. on Drugs and Narcotics. Senator Brimmo Yusuf is expected
to be Vice-Chairman. I called
the attention of the President to this yesterday, and he said that he would
reflect necessary changes, but still reads what I objected to.
The
Deputy President: It would still read that, because that was the reflection
of what happened yesterday. However, your observaton is noted and appropriate
step would be taken to effect correction.
Senator
Fidelis Okoro (Enugu North): Mr. President, I have noted that my
'name was properly
put
only on page three. There should be a letter C between Fidelis and Okoro to
read Fidelis C. Okoro in all my documents. So, that correction should be
effected.
Senator
Deputy President: The Secretariat should please take note of that correction
on page 12.
Senator
Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa: At page 12, Mr. President, on Local and Foreign Debts,
Senator Peter Adeyemo is reflected there instead of Senator Fend Okuromvu.
The
Deputy President: Is that a mistake or an omission?
Senator
Akinfenwa:
It is a mistake.
The
Deputy President: Secretariat, can you please reflect the correction?
Senator
Nnamdi Eriobuna (Anambra South): Mr.
President, still on page 12 on Governmental Affairs, my name was initially
announced as the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, then the President said that
it should be left vacant. Now, I do not
know whether it is the Vice-Chairmanship that is vacant or the name itself'. (Laughter).
The
Deputy President: Yes, your observation is noted and we will handle this
together with other aspects of the corrections and amendments. It is such a
large Job that you will expect human errors in. It would be addressed.
Senator
Oserhienem Osunbor (Edo Central): Mr. President, still on Governmental
Affairs, my initials there in No. I are O.A and not P. Thank you.
The
Deputy President: The Secretariat should also take note of that correction.
Senator
Tunde Ogbeha (Kogi West): Mr. President, I want to move: That the Votes and
proceedings of Thursday, 15th July, 1999 be adopted as amended.
The
Deputy President: No, we are still on page 12; are there more corrections,
distinguished Senators?
Senator
Zeego Hurana (Kaduna South): Mr. President, on Governmental
Affairs, number 2, we
have
here, Senator but there is no name. Again, who is the Vice. Chairman?
The
Deputy President: It has been taken care of.
Senator Fred Brume (Delta Central):
Mr. President, I want to call you back to page 11; I have been raising my hand.
The
Deputy President: I am sorry.
Senator
Brume: Yesterday,
I heard my name under Drugs and Narcotics, Today, it is not there; instead, I
find my name under Tourism and Culture which was not read yesterday. I also
observe that under Drugs and Narcotics, we have 12 names instead of 13.
The
Deputy President: If I were you, I would stay away from drugs and narcotics.
(laughter) But Secretariat, please, on a serious note, take note of the
corrections.
Senator
Adolphus Wabara (Abia South): Objection, Mr. President. I do not
agree with you, with all due respect, that the Secretariat should take note of
Senator Brume's comments. I think we need further clarification as to what
exactly Mr. President read out yesterday, so that we do not take advantage of
the shortage of members under Drugs and Narcotics to put an additional name or
person on that Committee.
The
Deputy President: Senator Brume, just bear with me a moment. Over and above
the information given by distinguished Senator Wabara, I have been privileged
now to look at the list from where this is drawn and' it is not an omission;
the name is not there. We would include that, however, among those matters to
be verified.
Thank
you, and thank you also Senator Wabara.
Senator
Abubakar Sodangi (Nassarawa West) : Mr. President, I refer to page, two,
Sir. Under Federal Capital Territory, my name is there and when it was read
out, the status was also given. But, either by omission or commission, although
my name is still there, and also that of my vice, V. O. Usulor, but the status
is conspicuously absent.
The
Deputy President: Do not betray yourself.
Senator
Yusuf Yemi Brimmo (Oyo North): Mr. President, on page 11, under Drugs
and Narcotics, my name is Senator Brimo Yemi Yusuf, but Yemi is completely
taken away. I do not know why'>
The
Deputy President: Secretariat, please, take note that between Brimo and
Yusuf, there should be Yemi.
Senator
Bala Adamu (Taraba North): Mr. President, I have observed that two Senators from the
same State are put in the same Committee, I have observed this in about three
Committees.
Senator
Adolphus Wabara: Mr, President, Point of Order. Can we adopt the' Votes and
Proceedings before observations are raised?
The
Deputy President: Thank you, Senator Wabara.
Senator
Bala Adamu:
I stand down my observation, Mr. President.
The
Deputy President Distinguished Senators, we are just looking at the perfection
of what is reflected as our records of yesterday's proceedings. Yes, Senator
Dalhatu Tafida, are you on page 12?
Senator
Dalhatu Tafida (Kaduna West): No, I want to move that the Votes and
proceedings be adopted.
The
Deputy President: Senator Tunde Ogbeha has already moved, except you want to
second.
Senator
Tafida:
Mr. President, I beg to second.
Senator
Micheal A. Pepple (Rivers South East): Mr. President, Sir, may I with respect,
make some observations on the list, confining my observations to
(Interruptions)
Senator
Idris Abubakar (Gombe South): Mr. President, may I respectfully raise
a Point or Order?
The
Deputy President. Yes, go on.
Senator
Abubakar:
Mr. President, we have just adopted the Votes and Proceeding; there is nothing
on the Order Paper about comments or observations on the composition of the
Committees. I think it would be out of order to do so at this point in time. It
is not on the Order Paper and there is no Motion in that regard on the Floor of
the Senate. Without any prejudice to the merit of any observation, I do not
think it is proper. Thank you.
The
Deputy President: It is correct that this is not reflected on the Order
Paper. but my inclination was to allow
two or three observations based on the weight of the subject itself'. and to
see whether or not it swill assist us in further mending the situation. But,
that is if' it is tire swish of the Senate.
Senator
Adawari Pepple: Thank you Mr. President. Can I now proceed with my
observation? The
Deputy
President:
Bill the observation is well taken, because it is well-founded.
Senator
Adawari Michael Pepple: Mr. President, I want to confine my observation stricty to
the South-South Zone. The pattern of' appointment of Chairmen is very clear. I
know that Mr. President. in coming to his
decision, had at the back of' his mind, the need to marry the seeming
factionalisations that exist. In other Zones, those who voted ,/b/. and against
Mr. President were made Chairmen.
In
the South-South Zone. among all who voted against him, none was made a
Chairman. I wish to register my protest„ Mr. President.
so that we cannot be victimised for the way we vote on the floor of
the Senate - (Interruptions)
Deputy
President:
No! No! Distinguished Senator, please! you will excuse me, distinguished
Senators (Interruptions). An observation has been properly raised by
distinguished Senator Abubakar Idris. The reason why I thought we could allow
this observation is because as distinguished Senator of Federal republic of
Nigeria. I was hoping that he could highlight some areas that we can correct,
so that we will all be happy as we discharge our responsibilities.
Senator
Adawari Micheal Pepple: Mr. President, that is one of the areas that I feel should
be
corrected.
You see, in the North-West, North-East, North-Central and in the South-West,
even some people who voted against Mr. President were made Chairmen of
Committees: but in the South-South, none of us who voted for Senator Chuba
Okadigbo was made a Chairman. Is that not a point that should be taken into
consideration?
Deputy
President:
This is noted. I will take only three more contributors. because I have used my
discretion to allow you speak on this subject.
Senator
Jim lfeanyichukwu Nwobodo (Enugu East): Mr. President. I just want to
make one or two Comments. You will recall that before the Committees were
constituted, you sent out feelers to Senators to indicate the Committees on
which they would want to serge. I think that the purpose of this is that people
would serve in Committees where they have expertise or they are interested in.
I believe that it is important that people be allowed to serve in Committees
where they would be useful, rather than putting them in just any Committee. I
would want this matter to be revisited, please. Distinguished Senators who have
been placed in Committees where they think they would not be useful should be
allowed to go to the Committees where they would be useful.
Secondly,
I do not think that there is anything sacrosanct about figure 13. We are going
to be here for the next four years. I think it is important that Senators be
allowed to serve in Committees where they feel they would be absolutely useful
to Senate. It is necessary that some adjustments be made, so that Senators, I
believe will be useful within this period. I hope that this will be taken into
consideration.
Senator
Mamman Bello Ali (Yobe South): Point of Order!
Deputy
President:
Let us take a Point of Order from Senator Mamman Ali.
Senator
Mamman Bello Ali: Thank you, Mr. President. The limit of the number of
Senators to serve on a Committee is 13. But going by the Rules,
I
think the minimum is 11. We have gone beyond the limit by allowing 13.
Suffice
it to say that it is only normal, when an exercise such as this is undertaken,
for some people
to
be satisfied and some dis-satisfied. However, there can be swapping, based on
individual requirements and individual negotiations. For example, if you are in
Committee on Defence and you feel that you do not want to be there, you can
bargain with somebody in Committee on Petroleum.
Thank
you.
Senator
Adolphus Wabara (Abia South): My Point of Order, Mr. President, is
Order 13(2). With your kind permission, Mr. Senate President, I read Order
13(2):
On
fridays the Senate shall sit until noon provided that the Senate shall not sit
on every second and fourth Fridays which shall be constituency consultation
days.
13(3):
Fifteen minutes before the time appointed for the termination of a sitting -
(Interruptions)
Deputy
President :
Senator Ita-Giwa, please. (Interuptions). We will take Senator Ita-Giwa.
Thereafter, we will come back to your information.
Senator
Florence Ita-Giwa (Cross River south ): Thank ,you, Mr. President. First
of all, I would like to correct Senator Wabara, that this Senate did not resume
at 9 a.m . The Senate resumed at 10 a.m., which is contrary to what is in the
Rules. In fact, we resumed at 11 a.m.
Mr. President, my observation has to do with Cross River State. I am making this appeal most humbly. The wearer of the shoe knows where it pinches. People have come here to represent the people that voted for them. Most effectively, I am really amazed and dismayed to see that the Committee on Petroleum and the Committee on Niger-Delta , especially the Committee on Petroleum, does not reflect any Senator from Cross River State or Akwa Ibom State Senators are the people that appreciate the devastation in that area: I would appeal to you to try and correct this, otherwise, knowingly or unknowingly, you will destroy the peoples political future in the four years we have to serve them.
Deputy
President:
That is well taken. Yes, distinguished Senator.
Senator
Lawali (Zamfara North): Mr. President, I thought we are here for national service. I
never knew that if the President of this country is going to appoint a
Minister, the Minister has to tell exactly in what Ministry he would want to
serve.
Mr.
President , we have recently cleared some Ministerial nominees in this Senate
without knowing which portfolio they were going to he assigned. All we knew was
that they were going to be appointed Ministers to serve this country.
I
do not think that it is right for us, after waiting all this long for the Committees
to be constituted in order for us to move forward, to allow those who are
trying to take us back.
Mr.
President, I would call on this Senate to please accept what we have. We did
not contest elections to come to the Senate to serve as Chairmen of Committees.
In any case, the committee are not enough for everyone of us to chair. Why can
we not accept what we have, and let us see what we can do , for this country.
Thank
you, Mr. President. (Applause)
Deputy
President :
Thank you, very much. Distinguished Senators, the last comment we would take on
this subject would come from Senator Ibrahim.
Senator
Idris Kuta (Niger East): Mr. President, Sir, now that Senator Bala Adam is here, I
thought it would prefer to be the Vice-Chairman. He is listed under the
Committee on Science and Technology as Vice-Chairman, and also under Committee
on Information as Vice-Chairman. Maybe, the President of the Senate will merge
the Vice-Chairmanship positions into one Committee so that he can become a
Committee Chairman. This is because he protested yesterday that Taraba State
was not given Chairmanship of any Committee.
The
other observation, Mr. President, is that Senator Zwingna, Chairman of Works
and Housing Committee, has pointed out the omission of Senator Kura Mohammed
either as Chairman or ViceChairman, and I think this is the work of God.
(laughter) Once people throw stones, they should know that those stones may end
up hitting them. The Committee that Senator Kura Mohammed was
fighting
to be Chairman of was Works and Housing, and it has now been given to his
friend, Senator Zwingna. (Laughter) '
Senator
Zwingna (Adamawa South) : Mr. President, please, protect me please.
The
Deputy President : Distinguished Senator, I will protect both Senators.
Senator
Vincent Obasi Usulor (Ebonyi Central): Mr. President, information! I think
the essence of democracy is to demonstrate what we call Federal Character. In
these appointments we have 36 States. Each State was supposed to produce, at
least, one Chairman of a Committee. Taraba State has no Chairman of Committee:
Ebonyi State has no Chairman of
Committee. What I am saying is that Ebonyi State produced three Senators under
the PDP, the majority party: yet, no chairman of any Committee was given to
them, because they voted for Senator Chuba Okadigbo.
Senator
Saidu Dansadau (Zamfara Central) : Mr. President, the point I want to
make is that the issue that Senator Usulor was raising was raised
yesterday, that Taraba State has no
Chairman position. The President of the Senate yesterday made it categorically
clear that the point was well-taken. Earlier today, a Senator raised it and you
also said the point was well-taken, and that some correction were going to be
made in respect of this observation.
The
Deputy President : Well. thank you. Now, we are going on to the next item on
the Order Paper, Presentation of Bill.
Would
the Senate Leader kindly move the presentation of the Bill?
Senator
Abdalla Wali (Sokoto South) : Mr. President. may I call upon the
Clerk of the Senate to initiate the First Reading of the Bill on the Niger Delta
Development Commission Act 1999.
Niger-Delta
Development Commission (Establishment etc.) Act 1999.
A
Bill for an Act to establish the Niger-Delta Development Commission and for
matters connected
thereto-presented
by Senator Abdalla Wali (Sokoto South); read the First time, referred for
Gazetting. Second Reading-upon confirmation of Gazette publication be the next
Legislative week.
The
Deputy President : Distinguished Senator, we have on the Order Paper under the
Orders of the Day, a Motion on Agricultural Policy of the Federal Government
and National Economic Recovery, sponsored by 12 distinguished Senators. May I
suggest that we adopt either of these two approaches; we either call on the
Mover to move his Motion and let it be seconded so that other Senators can
contribute to the Motion before we adjourn for the day; or if it is the wish of
the Mover, we may stand down this Motion for another day. The two options are
open to distinguished Senators.
Some
Distinguished Senators : Stand it down!
Senator
Lawali Shuaibu (Zamfara North) : Mr. Deputy Senate President, Sir, if
we stand down the Motion, we will be standing it down for the fourth time.
The
Deputy President :Our attention has been drawn to the Rules that require the
Senate to adjourn on Fridays within a given time.
Senator
Shuaibu: I
respect the Rules, Mr. Deputy Senate President.
Question
put and agreed to.
Motion
by leave stood down
And
it being after 12 noon, the Deputy Senate President proceeded to adjourn
sitting till Tuesday, 20th July, 1999 at 10 a.m. without question put pursuant
to Senate Standing' Rules 3(2). The Senate adjourned accordingly at 2.03. p.m.