Insecurity to top agenda as senators reconvene tomorrow

• Akpabio, Oshiomhole’s feud may deepen
• Ex-Edo gov not our reason for reconvening — Senate spokesman
• Lawmakers free to move motions on any subject

SENATORS return to Abuja tomorrow to a potentially tense chamber amid growing concerns over crippling insecurity in the country.

Findings by the Nigerian Tribune indicated that the lawmakers, who are cutting short their end of session break, are set to fast-track the State Police Bill, by taking it through the third reading, among other legislative interventions, to support the efforts of the Federal Government in combating terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.

The House of Representatives voted and passed the bill on June 10, but the Senate’s concurrence is still pending.

One senator close to the leadership of the Red Chamber told the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday that urgent national issues bordering on security informed the reconvening.

“It is primarily on urgent national issues on security. State Police is central to it,” the lawmaker disclosed.

Senators have termed the escalation of attacks by criminal elements as “embarrassing,” requiring urgent solutions from across layers of government.

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It was gathered that the kidnapping and the subsequent death of the late Major-General Abubakar Rabe, and the spiraling attacks on soft targets like school children without a “guaranteed counter-strategy” by the relevant authorities, raised more worries about the safety of lives and property in the country.

Rabe, a retired army general and former spokesman, was abducted on May 30 along the Marabar Musawa-Kafinsoli Road in Katsina State with his wife, Amina.

He was later confirmed to have died on June 13, and his body recovered and interred.

His death added to a sizable list of military officers, both serving and retired, who died in circumstances linked to terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, exposing the heightened vulnerability of less-privileged or protected citizens.

Akpabio, Oshiomhole feud may deepen

The escalating tension between the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and a former governor of Edo State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, may also get a mention on the floor, according to investigations.

Oshiomhole had featured on a podcast on June 14, while the Senate was on break, to directly attack Akpabio for allegedly being responsible for the recent resolution of the Senate to disown him (Oshiomhole) for calling the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) “a bunch of thieves.”

Responding to a question, the Edo-North senator had stated, “He is paranoid about everything that has to do with me.

“Everybody in the Senate knows that if Akpabio has his way, he will lock me out of the Senate because he has misled himself into thinking that I am probably the devil he knows,” he said.

Oshiomhole also referred to the yet-to-be-inaugurated 11th Senate, where there will be a likely opposition to any bid by Akpabio to succeed himself.

“However, there are many agents he doesn’t know, and the 11th Senate will not be the 10th Senate. This I can say; senators are grumbling about his style of leadership,” he added.

The former president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) also claimed that Akpabio facilitated employment for his daughter at the NNPCL, which might justify why the Senate moved against him, an allegation that has since been dismissed by the Senate president.

“When a senator is acting out of line this way and in breach of the rules, going to the public to attack the Senate as a body and its leadership, it usually attracts some caution,” one National Assembly source said on Sunday.

“It may involve a motion calling the senator to order.

“He has also spoken a lot about the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and alleged signature forgery on the report of the investigation.

“If this comes up, Oshiomhole too will protest and there may be more clashes on the floor,” he added.

The Nigerian Tribune recalls that last May, Oshiomhole also publicly criticised Akpabio over the Senate’s new rules that bar certain categories of senators from vying for leadership positions in the 11th Senate.

Oshiomhole not our reason for reconvening — Adaramodu

However, when the Nigerian Tribune contacted the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, he dismissed the speculation that the Senate would pay attention to Oshiomhole’s case.

According to Adaramodu, rarely will the Senate cut short its break because of comments made by a single senator when there are important national issues awaiting legislative interventions.

He added: “We are not reconvening because of any senator. How can a whole Senate reconvene because of one senator? Over what?

…Says no petition against ex-Edo gov

“We are reconvening strictly to consider and deliberate further on the issue of insecurity and how to make our legislative inputs in supporting the efforts of the Federal Government to make Nigeria safer for all. Besides, we don’t have any petition before us against any senator,” Adaramodu said.

When asked whether going outside the Senate to frequently counter the decisions of the Senate was not against its rules, he replied that Oshiomhole was entitled to his opinions, which did not override the decisions taken by the majority.

He added that the Senate had its own procedure of attending to “internal matters” and would not hesitate to act accordingly any time there were reasonable grounds to do so and correct an errant member.

“But, I can assure you that for now, our resumption has nothing to do with Oshiomhole or any individual senator. There are more serious national issues, especially security,” he stressed.

Adaramodu stated that the police bill would be part of the agenda and could be speedily passed, “except there is opposition to it that may further delay it.”

‘Lawmakers free to move motions on any subject’

However, he admitted that in a Senate of 109 members, it would be difficult to preempt the action of everyone, including moving a motion to draw attention to issues not originally part of the agenda for the reconvening.

“We can’t determine what motions senators can bring to the floor. Sometimes, it’s when you get to the chamber that senators move motions.

“But, I am saying emphatically that our reconvening has nothing to do with Oshiomhole or any other senator for that matter,” Adaramodu stated.