Hopes of early passage of the N8.83 trillion 2019 Appropriation Bill, new National Minimum Wage and other critical bills were dashed, as the Senate on Tuesday adjourned plenary to March 12, 2019 due to lack of quorum.
The adjournment was due to the absence of the required one-third senators (37 lawmakers) needed for plenary to hold.
The lawmakers sat for only five minutes with only eight senators in the chambers. Senate President, Bukola Saraki, presided over the brief session.
Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, who moved the motion for the adjournment, explained that most lawmakers are currently in their constituencies because of the National Assembly elections.
According to him, most lawmakers are yet to know their fate.
“Our members who contested are yet to get their results finally, formally and officially declared and therefore they needed to stay back. And others are also in the field to ensure very smooth election process across the country,” Lawan said.
He also urged the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) not to postpone the governorship election already shifted to March 9.
The motion was seconded by Senate Minority Whip, Phillip Aduda.
BusinessDay reports that Saraki is one of the biggest casualties of the polls as he lost his Kwara Central Senatorial seat to Ibrahim Oloriegbe of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Before the adjournment, Saraki sought to know the status of the New National Minimum Wage from Chairman of the Adhoc Committee and Senate Chief Whip, Sola Adeyeye.
In his response, Adeyeye attributed the committee’s delay in working on the proposal to lack of quorum.
Although the lawmaker did not seek reelection in the just concluded Osun Central Senatorial election, he said most of his colleagues did not show up for the committee’s meeting because they were seeking reelection.
His words: “We made very frantic effort to try to meet and we have met the same situation we have found here today, which is lack of quorum. I do hope that after the election, we will be able to form quorum.
“I even tried to see if we could have a digital platform. So, I set up electronic platform whereby we could have the meeting and come to a conclusion. Because if you look at the amendment of bill submitted, it had only two clauses. So I thought we could do it electronically but colleagues prefer that we meet in person. I don’t have the power of veto. And colleagues could also not reach a consensus as to when we could meet.
“I must also plead that I have come to Abuja three times, hoping that we could meet but I could not force my colleagues who had election to come. I didn’t have election. But after the election, I have to go and take care of my health. Because there is something inside me that needs urgent attention and I don’t want to, in the name of national service, kill myself prematurely.
“So, I would plead that if I am not able to return timely, perhaps the wisest man in the chamber – a long standing fifth timer to be – will take over the chairmanship. I mean the Deputy Senate President (Ike Ekweremadu)”.
On his part, Saraki assured that the Minimum Wage Bill would receive expeditious passage upon resumption by next month.
“By the time we resume, this will be the first item for consideration. And I am sure that because of the importance of it and the feedback I have received from a lot of our colleagues is that they also want to contribute personally to the debate,” the Senate President said.
It would be recalled that on January 29, the House of Representatives raised the Minimum Wage from N18,000 to N30,000.
Although the bill has been transmitted to the Senate and was slated on Tuesday Order Paper for First Reading, the Senate is however, going ahead to pass its own version.
