Drama as senators disagree on equality of Senate and House of Reps

There was mild drama in the Senate on Thursday‎ as senators during plenary disagreed on equality status between the Senate and House of Representatives.

Trouble began when the Deputy Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah‎, raised a point of order over a statement credited to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo.

Na’Allah during his presentation said both the Senate and House of Representatives have similar powers of legislation “as there is nothing like the upper and lower chambers in the Constitution”.

But the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, in his reaction to the Deputy Leader’s statement maintained that the Senate was superior to the House of Representatives as recognized by the 1999 Constitution.

According to Akpabio, Section 81 of the Constitution gave the power to confirm executive appointments to the Senate, while Section 5 (4) (b) empowered the Senate to approve deployment of the military on combat duty outside the country.

He said: “These are powers not given to the House of Representatives and the framers of our Constitution knew that.

“Definitely, there must be an upper chamber.

“From the duties ascribed to both chambers, it is clear that one is the upper and the other is lower.”

But the Majority Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC Yobe North), agreed with his deputy on the equality status of both chambers, insisting that they were equal and symbolizes democracy in the country.

Senator Lawan, who raised another point of order to counter Akpabio’s arguments, explained that the two chambers were equal though the Senate was given more responsibilities than the House of Representatives.

He said: “I served as a member of the House of Representatives for eight years and came to the Senate in 2007.

“I think, in fact, I am convinced that no chamber in the National Assembly can (solely) make any legislation.

“If we cannot as a Senate pass a bill and send it for Executive assent until it goes to the House of Representatives, it means that we have equal responsibilities on this.

“The Senate is only given additional responsibilities.”

However,‎ the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, ruled Lawan out of order, noting that it was a controversial matter and the point of order under which the Majority Leader was speaking was not for such matters.

– Emmanuel Leke