The House of Representatives on Wednesday protested against the non-consideration of its bills by the Senate.
The lawmakers expressed the concern after the passage of three Senate bills through Second Reading, alleged that the Senate’s disposition was unconventional of a bicameral legislature.
After leading the debate on the bills, namely: ‘A bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of Federal University of Education, Kontagora; and for related matters’; ‘A bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of Federal College of Education, Mutum Biyu; and for related matters’ and ‘A bill for an Act to Establish University of Agriculture and Technology, Oke-Ogun and for related matters, they were passed through Second Reading without any dissenting voice.
While briefing the House on the development, the Majority Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa observed that the principle of bicameral legislature entails that both Chambers work in harmony for the good of the country, stressing that the Senate ought to also attend to the House bills with similar understanding.
He said: “Mr Speaker, I rise once again for the fifth time to present Senate Bill for second reading. As I rise to do this, I want to put on record that this House takes seriously the issue of working together with the Senate for maximum performance.
“That is why this House has always given speedy consideration to bills passed by the Senate. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same thing about the Senate.
“We have quite a number of bills passed by this House which are still lying on the table of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business unattended to. This is a thing of concern to the leadership of this House.
“I want to appeal to the Senate to give urgent attention to bills passed by this House seeking concurrence. That is how a bicameral legislature works.”
Supporting the protest, the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu said that the Senate should be made to give attention to the pending House Bills.
In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker who presided over the plenary hailed Doguwa for raising the issue, promising that the House leadership will meet with that of the Senate to address the matter.
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