Nigeria is a land of drama and comic relief despite our challenges. An average Nigerian, no matter his status in the society, will most likely make a joke of any situation he finds himself. Little wonder a report by the World Values Survey in 2003 described Nigerians as the happiest set of people in the world.
This scenario played out last week when the embattled Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Dino Melaye, was arraigned at an Abuja High Court for allegedly providing false assassination claims.
The controversial lawmaker displayed a tissue paper, toothbrush, toothpaste and bottle of coke to journalists after he was docked on a two-count charge of giving false information to the police to frame Edward David, Chief of Staff of Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi State, for an attempted murder on his life.
He was later granted bail in the sum of N100,000 by the trial judge.
But speaking with journalists after the bail, the lawmaker said he came prepared in case he was not granted bail. He was accompanied by both All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators including Shehu Sani, Andy Uba, Peter Nwaoboshi, Monsurat Sunmonu, Ben Murray-Bruce, Ibrahim Gobir among others.
However, that was just the beginning of the drama, as the lawmaker who represents Kogi West Senatorial District was trapped in the court as all road leading to the high court was barricaded by heavily armed personnel of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).
It took the help of some court officials for the lawmaker to be smuggled out through one of the pedestrian gates on the building later in the night.
Meanwhile, the Legal Department of the National Assembly is already working on the clean copy of the amended clauses in the constitution for onward transmission to the President for assent.
This followed presentation of resolutions of state legislatures on the constitution alteration exercise to the National Assembly.
Unfortunately, details of the approved clauses are still sketchy, it was learnt that out of the 29 clauses sent to the state assemblies, those accepted include financial autonomy for state legislatures as well as the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill which reduces the age limit for political aspirants seeking elective offices.
Unlike what obtained in the Seventh Assembly where the resolutions of the state assemblies were known at the day of transmission, the leadership of the Eighth National Assembly as well as the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures kept sealed lips on the resolutions for reasons best known to them.
Except the Eighth National Assembly keeps to its promise of revisiting the clause on devolution of powers to state assemblies, which will ensure that issues like policing, mineral exploitation and exploration are removed from the Exclusive Legislative List and included in the Concurrent List, the ongoing constitution amendment can best be described as cosmetic.
In another development, the fresh ultimatum issued to heads of federal agencies to submit their 2018 statutory budgets to the National Assembly for consideration expires this week.
Consequently, agencies expected to submit their budget proposals include: National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASEI), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Maritime Authority (NMA), Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Nigerian Postal Service (NPS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Also on the list are the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
Others are National Insurance Commission (NIC), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC), Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Radio Nigeria, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Federal Mortgage Bank, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), as well as Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGZFA) among others.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE
