Senate, Reps postpone resumption date as leadership crises persist

The Senate and the House of Representatives have extended the date for resumption plenary sessions, which was earlier scheduled for Tuesday, July 21. Members are now expected to resume July 28.

This was made known by the the Clerk of the House of Representatives, M. A. Sani-Omolori, who released an official notice of the postponement.

“This is to inform all Honourable members of the House of Representatives of the postponement of resumption of plenary session from adjourned date of Tuesday, 21st July to Tuesday, 28th July 2015,” Mr. Sani-Omolori said in his statement.

Also, a source close to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, told Premium Times that the Senate “has also extended its resumption to July 28″.

According to our source, the postponement became imperative because of the crisis rocking the National Assembly, especially the House of Representatives, over the choice of legislators that will clinch the principal positions of the Nigerian legislative arm.

Plenary session was adjourned at both chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday, June 25, in the wake of fracas that ensued on the floor of the House between members of the All Progressives Congress loyal to the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and those loyal the party.

Also in defiance of the leadership of APC same day, Mr. Saraki named Ali Ndume, Senate Leader; Francis Alimikhena, Deputy Whip; and Bala Na’Allah, Deputy Senate Leader, in spite of stiff opposition from APC Senators loyal to the ruling party.

Premium Times understands that the adjournment of plenary sessions by Messrs Saraki and Dogara was to create additional time within which the crisis could be resolved.

The crises however remain unresolved.

Mr. Dogara finally responded to the leadership of the APC, rejecting the party’s position of the choice of the principal positions, citing Federal Character principle.

He made a new proposal which would see the North West produce the Majority Leader, thereby blocking Femi Gbajabiamila, South West, who is being favoured by the APC leadership.

The APC is yet to respond to Mr. Dogara’s proposal.

But Mr. Gbajabiamila’s group has vowed to ensure Mr. Dogara obeys the party’s directive.

-Premium Times