NASS may not reconvene this week

THE National Assembly will no longer reconvene this week contrary to indications given last week by the leadership of the legislative arm.

Information made available to the Tribune Online indicated that the lawmakers no longer see to the practicality of the planned emergency sitting which was widely believed to have been fixed for this week.

After a meeting between the leadership of the National Assembly and the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu last Wednesday, the leadership of the two chambers gave an indication that the chambers might be reconvened to discuss the issue of INEC’s budget.

INEC Chairman, who was more specific told newsmen that the lawmakers might reconvene in a week to discuss the issue of pending budget.

Sources in the legislature, however, confirmed on Monday that the lawmakers might no longer reconvene in view of latest developments.

It was confirmed that to consider and pass the request by Mr. President, would certainly take the National Assembly close to a
month.

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“The request by President Muhammadu Buhari is not just a single line item that would just require a one day sitting. The request has variety of committees that would be involved, including the Appropriations, Finance, INEC and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“It is different from a situation whereby the President is asking for an increase in the size of the budget through a change of benchmark. The assignment required in respect of that letter from the President is not something that can be done in one day,” a source in the know stated.

According to the source, the National Assembly cannot achieve anything even if it was reconvened in for a sitting this week because the request has to be passed to the Committees and the Committees have to meet with MDAs.

“Besides, there is another issue that has to do with the Constituency projects. The letter is requesting the lawmakers to remove funds from their constituency projects and use the same to fund INEC. Remember that the Constituency projects are not one line items in the budget.

You can’t imagine how long it would take the Appropriations committees to sort out that issue with the MDAs. Another source stated.

A source further said: “Reconvening the National Assembly will not really work. It would mean that you want to keep the lawmakers around for the next one month, which defeats the idea of the annual recess.

The letter by the President is not just requesting for an increase in the benchmark, which can be handled in one day through Senate or House resolution. Treating the letter by the President will take two to three weeks,” he said.

Sources close to the National Assembly further stated that the logistics of securing a quorum of either the Senate or the House was becoming more and more difficult as we are getting deep into the recess.

“Many of our colleagues have travelled for Hajj. Many are in their constituencies battling the challenges of re-election. If you check even with the APC right now, they can’t get up to 30 Senators and next week is Sallah, Arafat is on Monday and you will have holidays. A number of people have travelled. It is not practicable to reconvene now,” the source added.

Sources also confirmed that the National Assembly is concerned that the executive was raising issues about Constituency projects at this stage.

Besides, a source said that the lawmakers are concerned that the President was seeking to fund INEC through some virements when the Constitution has provided that INEC is to be funded through the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation as a ‘First line charge.’

“What that means is the INEC’s funds should be treated as Statutory Transfers and not funds to be sourced from here and there,” another source stated.