Following its inauguration on Tuesday, the Senate has written President Bola Tinubu intimating him of its operational readiness to receive communication from the executive arm of government.

Disclosing this yesterday after an Executive session that lasted for over three hours, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio announced that the Senate has sent similar communication to the House of Representatives, the African Union and the Inter Parliamentary Union, among others.

The Senate has also set up a 15- Member Welfare Committee that is saddled with the responsibility of their welfare, allocation of offices and seats at the hallowed Chamber in line with the Standing Orders and ranking.

The Committee which has Senator Isah Jibrin, APC, Kogi East as Chairman, has Senator Darlington Nwokocha as Vice Chairman, with Senator Ekpenyong Asuquo, Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC – Kwara Central), Senator Dandutse Mohammed, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, Senator Shuaibu Agolabi Salisu, and Senator Aminu Iya Abass as members.

Other members are Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Senator Ireti Kingibe, Senator Idiat Adbule Oluranti, Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Dave Umahi, Senator Barinnada Degi-Ereminyo and Senator Bomoi Ibrahim Mohammed.

The upper legislative chamber which proceeded on a three week holiday will resume for legislative session on the 4th of July, 2023.

But briefing Journalists yesterday in Abuja, former Senate Deputy Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central has said that the opposition which stands at 50 would give full loyalty to Senator Godswill Akpabio led 10th Senate if they are respected, just as he vowed that the opposition will not be caged.

According to Ningi, although the 10th Senate will not be confrontational, it will definitely not be a rubber stamp legislature, just as he reiterated that the election of the President of the Senate and the Deputy was transparent and fair despite insinuation that some people were influenced.

He expressed satisfaction with the manner the Senate President took off by engaging all Senators in very exhaustive closed door meeting.

When asked on his expectations with regard to the composition of committees, Ningi said that he would expect Akpabio to carry every Senator including the minorities along.

Ningi said, “I have been out of the National Assembly for eight years. I was also here for 16 years. we have come a long way and I believe without you, this democracy which I personified by the National Assembly would not have been here for the last 24 years. That it has attained 24 years, it is as a result of your work. You have been there and you have also been accused just like each and every member of the parliament. You have been accused of corruption, indolence, you have been accused of so many things, that members of the National Assembly have been accused and this work has to be done.

“ This nation was crashing some few months back, but with what is happening right now especially with the inauguration of the National Assembly, I am very positive that we are going to save this country, this country will benefit from our experiences and with the faces I have seen in the Senate in particular no doubt in my mind that the Senate will be an entirely different Senate this time around. We are not going to be confrontational as we have never been, but we are not going to be laid back legislators to make sure we understand some things, we make sure they understand our powers to make sure that we understand our limitations.

“We will outrightly inform the executive of our powers under the constitution, under the House rules and under the legislative matters privileges. We are not going to be caged, I am very happy this afternoon that the first thing that the Senate President did was to call for an executive session with very exhaustive deliberations and I am happy he has started on a very clean slate.

” I can see that he is ready for this job and we have assured him that once he gives us our respect, we are going to accord him our full loyalty and we will also caution him that in spite of whatever happened, the Senate is the institution that made him Senate President and the chairman of the national Assembly. Because he is a ranking Senator he understands that on behalf of the people of this country over the years things have not been done so well that time will give us another opportunity to re do what we have not been able to do in the last couple of years.

“I want to call on the media in particular to remain steadfast in what they are doing, we don’t have any other country other than Nigeria, I know we have challenges of tribal sentiments, religious sentiments, regional sentiments, they all interplay within the Nigerian body politics, but at the end of the day we bear the consequences.

“We have tested insecurity and it is not a respecter of anybody from the executive to the legislature and to the common man; and even the Nigerian security forces have been confronted by this insecurity and there is the issue of poverty and anger in the polity and therefore, we don’t put Nigeria first which is easier said than done. We must make sure that this country is pushed forward; we must make sure that we add value.

“As you write your report, encourage members of the National Assembly when they need encouragement and also call on the attention of the National Assembly members when you have noticed their limitations, you must also read the constitution yourself, read the House rules understand our powers, what we can do and what we cannot do and then help us call the executive to order when the need arises. Try to encourage us to do what is right all the times,” he said.

On the outcome of the minority caucus meeting and what to be expected ahead of composition of Committees, Ningi said, “Like I said the election has come and gone I adjudge it free and fair in spite of any insinuation whether somebody is coerced or not, I don’t believe in that, I don’t believe a Senator will be made to do what he does not want to do. It was a free election, it was opened and it was keenly contested.

“Having said that initially we had our own terms of agreement with the various Senate Presidential aspirants, we wrote to all of them unfortunately time was not on our side to have gotten a reply from them, but for me it does not matter who gets what it all depends on the leadership, the presiding officers, you can decide not to give me any committee, but there will be a time when you will need me and that has been the tradition of the National Assembly.

” It is always give and take. We are 50 members of the opposition the ruling party has 59, we are watching, It is also important to understand that the Principal Officers are also members of the Senate Committee. The intention then was for them to take care of the minority interest; you know they are limited because while they are having six and seven with the Senate President, we are having four, so if there is any vote you know where it will go.

“But that is not the issue; the issue is the Presiding officer, listening to what he said to carry people along with honesty and of transparency. If you don’t carry me along now that means you don’t need me and if tomorrow you need me, you will be reminded when did you change your mind?”

On whether he is interested in the minority leadership position, the former Deputy Majority leader said, “The minority position, usually is not subjected to an election, and I am not here to speak for the minority because there is a minority caucus leader, Senator Adamu Aliero. When you come to speak about the minority, they have two positions which will be spliced within the minority rank and consequently when these positions are spliced, then each party will now go and do the needful in providing these names.

“I am free, If I am called upon to do it, I will gladly accept that, If not the Senate chair is enough for me. Whatever rate, I don’t need to hold position; I will function in this Senate one way or the other.

On the highlight of the resolutions of the Senate during the meeting, he said, “We had an executive session, and then we went through the order paper and we sent congratulatory letter to the House and we also sent Communications to the international bodies like the EU, AU, the other legislative National bodies and then we adjourned for two weeks. The issue of Sallah holiday came up and we added four to five days, to resume July 4th. (Vanguard)

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