According to Ahmad Lawan, the President of the Senate, the ninth senate is committed to giving Nigerians reason to trust in its leadership especially in the delivery of the dividends of democracy.
As soon as the senate returned from its Christmas recess, the senates swing into action immediately with the inauguration of committee on security to tackle the security challenges facing the nation. The inspector general of Police was invited for a closed door meeting last week where he briefed the senate on strategies which will be put in place to tackle the security challenge.
Today we bring to you a recap of the activities of the senate for the week.
Tuesday:
Nigerian Senate on Tuesday had to adjourn all plenary activities to Wednesday in honour of late Plateau South Senator, Ignatius Longjan who died on Monday, this was barely two month after the Upper chamber has lost two of its colleagues.
Moving a motion to that effect, Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, said the passing of Senator Longjan was a great loss to Nigeria.
The Senate Leader also prayed his colleagues to observe a one-minute silence in honour of the deceased who was a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
However the Upper Chamber decided not to perform its legislative activities but unanimously decided to mourn the passage of their colleague.
The Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-agege who presided over Tuesday’s plenary, commiserated with the family of the deceased Senator, the government and the good people of Plateau State over the tragic loss.
Senate subsequently observed a minute silence in honor of the 75-year-old lawmaker.
In a brief interview shortly after the adjournment, lawmakers said Senator Longjan’s sudden death is shocking and a painful loss that shook the very foundation of the ninth National Assembly.
Wednesday:
The Nigerian Senate suspended legislative activities to hold a valedictory session in honour of one of their own the late Senator Benjamin Chukwuemeka Uwajumogu whose demise occurred on December 18, 2019.
The valedictory session which held during Wednesday’s plenary was sequel to a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi.
In a session presided over by President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, lawmakers took turns to pay tribute to Senator Uwajumogu, who until his death on December 18, 2019, represented Imo North Senatorial District.
In his contribution, Imo West Senator, Rochas Okorocha, said the death of his fellow Imo lawmaker, is a wake-up call to do the right thing irrespective of political affiliation, religion or creed.
Also, the newly elected Chairman of South East Senators forum, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, admonished his colleagues to lead exemplary lives so as to be remembered for good.
Other Senators also took out time to extolled Uwajumogu’s qualities and reminisced on the times they all spent together in the senate.
In his concluding remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, described the late Lawmaker as a peace maker.
Senator Lawan said he will lead a delegation of Lawmakers to attend Uwajumogu’s burial slated for Friday 21st February 2020.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of NDDC and its management team appeared before the senate committee on NDDC chaired by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi to defend its 2019/2020 budget.
Thursday:
For the umpteenth time, the Nigerian Senate again observed a minute of silence in honour of victims of terrorist attacks, this time around, for those who were killed in Auna, Borno State on Monday.
Senator Kashim Shettima had raised a point of order during plenary on Thursday, saying the killing is one too many and should be nipped in the bud.
But Senator Gabriel Suswan in his contribution urged federal government to move beyond lip service and take the bull by the horn in the fight against insurgency.
The Benue lawmaker also said the military needs to move beyond propaganda and address the problem from the source.
After the short debate, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan condemned the dastardly act and urged federal government to rehabilitate those affected through the North East Development Commission.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari had on Wednesday in Maiduguri blamed the leaders of Borno communities for not doing enough in terms of cooperation with the military to end the Boko Haram insurgency.
