10th NASS: Value Nigeria’s stability over your pockets, Shettima tells lawmakers-elect
Rubber stamp: You’re jealous of our achievements, Lawan tells critics
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged lawmakers-elect to prioritise the stability of Nigeria while electing the presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly on Tuesday.
The race for Senate presidency and speakership of the House of Representatives has been so intense, with aspirants insisting on contesting against the All Progressives Congress (APC) preferred candidates.
All the major contenders have intensified campaigns, claiming to have the backing of majority of lawmakers.
Speaking at the valedictory session on Saturday, which marked the end of the 9th Senate, Shettima appealed to the lawmakers-elect to consider the unity and stability of the country far above their personal interest.
“To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a paradox. The stability of this country is superior to the stability of our pockets. On Tuesday, let us vote wisely. Let us vote for Nigeria,” he said.
Those I helped called me thief – Orji Kalu
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia) betrayed emotion during the valedictory session as he recalled the trial that saw him spend six months in jail.
A High Court in Lagos sentenced Kalu to 12 years imprisonment in December 2019 for fraud committed while he was the governor of Abia State between 1999 and 2007.
Kalu spent six months in the correctional facility before he eventually regained his freedom and returned to the Senate following a Supreme Court judgement that nullified his conviction on the ground of lack of jurisdiction.
No fresh charges have been preferred against him.
Kalu said he had made money before joining politics and played a critical role financially in the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said, “Before I came into politics I could buy anything money could buy. I am not a thief. I have businesses scattered across the country. People who could not explain their source of wealth are walking freely.
“Those that put me in prison know the reason. They took over my businesses and wanted to kill me, yet I survived it and I am in the Senate with you.
“I have never lacked. While I was in the PDP where I served for two terms as governor, I brought the money they used in forming that party, every penny, in 1997 and 1998, and I later became a thief.
“People I gave transport money from my house in Victoria Island in Lagos became agents.”
Rubber stamp: You’re jealous of our achievements, Lawan tells critics
The outgoing Senate President Ahmad Lawan, yesterday took a swipe at those labeling the 9th National Assembly under his leadership as a rubber-stamp parliament.
Lawan’s Senate presidency was not only peaceful, but its relationship with the executive is also rancour-free.
The cordial working relationship with the administration of the former President Muhammadu Buhari earned the parliament the vile moniker of a “rubber stamp” assembly.
Speaking at the valedictory session which marks the end of the 9th Senate, Lawan said those criticising the parliament as a stooge of the executive were jealous of its achievements.
“Those calling us a rubber stamp assembly are jealous of our performance,” Lawan said.
He said during the last four years, over 1,129 bills were presented on the floor of the Senate, and over 500 were successfully passed.
Lawan also said 131 bills passed by the parliament were assented to by the President, the highest of any assembly in Nigeria’s history.
He said, the 9th Assembly strengthened the budget process to reduce delays experienced in previous Assemblies and ensure speedy consideration and passage of the Appropriation law
9th N/Assembly was rubberstamp Adamawa senator
The senator representing Adamawa South, Binos Yeroe, said he agreed with critics that labelled the 9th National Assembly as a rubberstamp parliament.
The 9th parliament, under the leadership of Ahmad Lawan, the Senate president, was tagged a “rubberstamp” due to its cordial working relationship with the executive.
But Senator Yeroe said those criticising the 9th Assembly as a rubberstamp of the executive were right.
He said the manner in which the N22.7trillion CBN Ways and Means Advances to the Federation was approved by the National Assembly justified the rubbe stamp label.
He said, “I agree with those who say the 9th Senate is rubberstamp.
“Furthermore, the suspension of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and subjecting him to investigation is a mild indictment of the National Assembly. This is so because if we have done our oversight duties properly, we would not have gotten to this level.
“I hope the 10th Senate would take its job as the watchdog of the executive more seriously.”