APC Reps frustrate PDP motions PDP motions House of Representatives failed to list consideration of the 2014 budget for debate against all expectations on Tuesday, fuelling speculations that the threat by All Progressives Congress (APC) to frustrate bills sponsored by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government has affected the morale of the House. The budget, which should have been considered and passed by the House last year, was left unlisted on the Order Paper on Tuesday, as another week rolls by after the House resumed plenary from its Christmas/New Year holidays. House spokesman, Zakari Mohammed, had last Thursday told newsmen that the 2014 budget would be deliberated upon this week. To show their readiness to fight the PDP, the APC legislators at about 9.48 a.m. on Tuesday went into a secret meeting within the National Assembly Complex to strategise on how to disarm their PDP counterparts. It was reliably gathered that the APC members at the meeting resolved to frustrate all moves by PDP lawmakers on the floor to prove that they (APC) were in majority. A source at the APC meeting told Daily Independent that it was resolved that tactical moves would be used in disarming the PDP members. “We are going to use wisdom to manage the directive our leaders gave to us but definitely executive bills will suffer,” the source said. “We are ready to face our PDP counterparts in any form on the floor of the House; that I can assure you,” he added. This was exhibited on the floor of the House, as APC members made sure all contributions of PDP members were frustrated. The fight against the PDP was openly demonstrated on the floor, as an attempt by Friday Itulah (PDP Edo) to amend a motion was unanimously rejected when the APC lawmakers used their numerical strength to frustrate the move. But another motion entitled, ‘Urgent need to assist the victims of a fire disaster in Rumuwoji market in Port Harcourt, Rivers’, sponsored by Blessing Nsiegbe (APC, Rivers) was unanimously adopted, as the “ayes” swallowed the “nays”. Also, attempts by PDP members to second motions and bills were properly blocked by APC members who shouted them down. The House, however, succeeded in conducting a mock voting on the ad hoc committee report on amendment of the 1999 Constitution. Similarly, APC Senators were on Tuesday pitched against their PDP colleagues at plenary, as they sought the rejection and re-working of the 2014 Appropriation Bill. The APC Senators described the budget as anti-people, while the PDP Senators pressed for its quick passage. Senate opposition leader, George Akume, while leading debate for the opposition, argued that any budget passed into law and properly implemented normally serves as the engine of growth and development. He called for suspension of debate on the budget because, according to him, relevant documents that would guide Senators in making contributions as required by Fiscal Responsibility Act were not presented to them. He added that not all the Senators are experts on budgetary issues. Akume stated that some of the documents being expected include the revenues and expenditure profile of government, the revenue framework broken down monthly sector by sector and the document that explains the performance of the 2013 budget. Akume, a former Benue State Governor, took a swipe at what the Federal Government was doing with the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) funds, saying the funds had become an omnibus allocation that takes care of virtually every aspect of life. He advised that the Senate should not be in a hurry to consider the budget, as there was the need for line by line consideration where the chamber should thoroughly scrutinise so as to bring out areas that are considered waste. Senate Committee Chairman on Public Accounts, Ahmed Lawan (APC, Yobe North), described the budget as “the worst appropriation in the history of the country and the worst for the Nigerian masses”. He added that the Senate should not discuss the 2014 budget without first discussing the implementation and success of the 2013 budget. Alkali Jajere (APC, Yobe South) claimed that the North, which, he said, represents a section of the people of Nigeria was not catered for in the budget and that the budget went on head-on-collision with the Fiscal Responsibility Act. According to him, there was zero allocation to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which, he noted, was supposed to end by the end of 2014. He said the budget neglected important aspect of the sectors that were the cardinal priority in the MDG such as poverty alleviation and the fight against HIV/AIDS. Christopher Babajide Omoworare (APC, Osun East) accused the Senate of having surrendered its powers in Sections 80 and 81 of the Constitution to the Executive, reminding the Senators that good governance was a responsibility that it should show to the people of the country. “Having listened to contributions, it appears we have surrendered to the supremacy of the Executive. “As it is now, the Senate should suspend the implementation of the budget and send it to a special committee to re-jig it completely and do a complete turn-around of it so that the parliament will own the document as it is required by law,” he stated. In his own contribution, Abubakar Sadiq Yar’adua said the budget had nothing for the common man, just as he accused Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, of doing the biddings of the World Bank, which, he believes, was negatively affecting the nation. But Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South) said he was impressed by the contribution of Ahmed Lawan and that he believed that what they were doing are okay. “Two weeks ago, the APC government in Rivers State passed the budget in one hour, let us copy the APC,” Abaribe said. Isa Galaudu (Kebbi North) supported the passage of the appropriation and urged “all pathetic” Senators and “all good Nigerians to support this bill for passage”. Paulinus Igwe advised that the budget should be sent to the appropriate Senate committees for legislative action, adding that “the earlier we pass the budget the better for us”. Earlier, Senate President, David Mark, had advised Senators “to use a national magnifying glass to look at the budget,” urging them to consider the interest of the country instead of personal or party interest. Via: #DAILYINDEPENDENT
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 15:59:51 +0000
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