There was mild drama on the floor of the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, as Kabir Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central) and other aggrieved senators attacked the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, describing his composition of 65 standing committees as illegal and null and void.
Saraki had last week announced the constitution of 65 committees, an increase of eight additional committees from the previous 57.
Marafa, who was named chairman, Committee on National Identity and National Population, disrupted plenary and urged the Senate president to apologise to Nigerians for “abuse of the Constitution” as well as increasing the number of committees beyond the statutory provisions.
He explained that Section 62(4) of the 1999 Constitution states that all committees must be subject to approval by all senators.
Trouble started shortly after the Senate approved Votes and Proceedings of the last sitting – Wednesday, November 4, 2015, when Marafa raised a Point of Order and challenged recent composition of the Senate committees.
According to him, the Senate Selection Committee chaired by the Senate president was not constituted in accordance with provisions of the Standing Order, adding that Saraki’s failure to comply with Section 100 of the Rules, which provides for Senate approval of the committees, has also nullified the efforts of the Selection Committee.
The senator further complained that in the composition of the Senate Committees, seniority was neither considered nor was there fairness in the distribution of roles as provided for in Order 1 and 3(1-4) of the Senate Rules.
The lawmaker noted that contrary to Order 97(1-7), the Selection Committee has overshot the specified number of Senate Committees from 57 to 65, without recourse to the red chamber for amending the relevant sections accordingly.
Hardly had he concluded his remarks when several hands were up, apparently to make contributions on the matter, but Saraki simply thanked Marafa for the observations and urged the Selection Committee to take note.
Dissatisfied by the Senate president’s ruling, Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North), vice chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs in the committees list, made futile effort to recall the matter for discussion.
Later in a chat with newsmen, Marafa said that tyranny had taken over the Senate.
According to him: “If the Senate President goes ahead to inaugurate the Committees, I expect Nigerians to charge him for contempt”.
But in a swift reaction, Senate Spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North), argued that Sen. Marafa was not competent to declare an act of the National Assembly null and void.
He submitted that the lawmaker was part of the legislative chamber that approved the Votes and Procedures of last sitting, stating that while the minority will have their say, majority will have their way.
