24 hours to winding down, Senate passes 46 bills within 10 minutes

Twenty four hours to winding down the Seventh Senate, the Red Chamber on Wednesday hurriedly passed 46 bills into law within 10 minutes.
This was even as the Senate gave approval to President Muhammed Buhari’s request to appoint 15 special advisers.
The bills had been earlier passed by the House of Representatives in the current Seventh Assembly.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, introduced the bills on the floor of Senate for consideration.
However, the development generated arguments and side talks, but the Senate President, David Mark, had his way when he called for voice votes and ruled in favour of those in support of the passage.
Mark asked those who were not satisfied with the passage of the bills to raise objections in writing at plenary on Thursday.
The Senate had earlier suspended Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders creating the impression that all the Bills had passed first, second and third readings on the floor of the Senate and concurred to same.
Meanwhile, Mark has said the Senate will continue further deliberations on the controversial Fourth Alteration Bill, which seeks to further amend the 1999 Constitution, on Thursday.
He also added that the valedictory session to formally close the Seventh Senate would be held on Thursday.