From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI and IHEANACHO NWOSU, Abuja,

 In what looked like a crack, seven All Progressives Congress (APC) senators yesterday ignored a party directive to block all executive bills, including the 2014 Appropriation Bill, approval of the appointment of service chiefs and other matters brought before the National Assembly for consideration. The lawmakers actively participated in the screening of the new service chiefs and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) recently appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The CDS, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, and service chiefs, Major-General Kenneth Minimah (Army), Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin (Navy) and Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosun (Air Force).

In a January 20 letter addressed to the Senate, President Jonathan said their appointments were in compliance with the provisions of Sections 147(2) of the Constitution as amended and 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A.20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, respectively.

Last week, the APC leadership, in a communique read by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in Abuja, directed its members in the National Assembly to block the passage of the budget, and the screening of new service chiefs and ministers.

This would be the first time in the history of Nigeria’s democracy that the appointments of service chiefs would be confirmed by the Senate, in fulfillment of constitutional provisions. The screening, earlier scheduled for today, was shifted to Monday, January 27. Present at the screening carried out by the Committees on Defence and Army, Navy and Air Force were Senators Akin Odunsi (Ogun), Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara), Sani Saleh (Kaduna), Atai Aidoko (Kogi), Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti), Jubrilla Bindowo (Adamawa)  and Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo).

They joined their colleagues from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who participated actively in the screening session yesterday.

Chairman of the joint committee, Senator George Sekibo, noted that the screening was the first to be carried out by the Senate since the return of democracy in 1999 despite the fact that there was a provision for it in Sections 217 to 219 of the constitution.

He said past administrations had not been sending names of service chiefs for confirmation even though the National Assembly enacted Armed Forces Act 2004 which compels the federal lawmakers to confirm the appointments.

“The screening exercise today, therefore, is in fulfillment of the provisions of the constitution and the Armed Forces Act 2004 (Cap A.20 of the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) which had been flouted since it was enacted. This exercise we are performing today would satisfy the provisions of the constitution and law, and completely put our Armed Forces under our democratic norms”, he said.

Sekibo noted that Nigeria is facing some major security challenges like the insurgency in the North-East, oil theft and pipeline vandalisation in the South-South,  and kidnapping which was rampant in the South-East and other parts of the country.

“If the required attention is not given to these challenges,  they are capable of disintegrating our country or putting our nation’s unity in question.

“It is the wish of the Senate and indeed, the entire nation that no part of this country would be allowed to exist in lawlessness and every part of the country must be fully protected as that is one of the primary objectives of a good government.

“The oil theft and vandalisation of pipelines in the South-South region are a major economic breach with resultant effect of reducing national earnings from the oil and gas sector and this must be stopped.”

Sekibo said the committee members will screen the competence of the military officers in strategic military operations. The committee is expected to turn in its report to the Senate for confirmation this week.

In a related development, Alhaji Mohammed yesterday shed light on the APC’s directive. He told Daily Sun that the order to its lawmakers was not to abdicate their legislative duties to Nigeria.

Mohammed explained that blockage of bills is not the same thing as boycotting the activities of the house. He asked rhetorically, “how can you block a bill when you boycotted it?”

Meanwhile, the battle-line between APC members and other political  parties in the House of Representatives was drawn yesterday as the latter vowed to return fire- for – fire over the APC’s directive.

Lawmakers from the PDP, Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Accord Party under the aegis of National Unity Group of the House of Representatives said the directive is a call to anarchy and would be resisted . It is the first time  in this dispensation that PDP lawmakers and  their colleagues in APGA, Labour and Accord would openly  take a common stand on an issue.

Also yesterday, a group known as Joint Action Team  said  it has rejected  the APC’s directive to block any executive bill. At least, three groups emerged in the chamber over the issue. They all spoke against the APC’s directive.

Addressing newsmen, Hon Bitrus Kaze (Plateau), who spoke on behalf of over 60 members who attended the Unity Group’s session, vowed to ensure the passage of the 2014 budget.

He cautioned,  “any attempt to tamper with the 2014 budget and hence the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan administration, would be met with robust resistance.

“No Nigerian anywhere will stand by and watch an opposition greedy with mischief and power lust, frustrate the hopes of  millions of Nigerians with regard to health care, schools and universities, agricultural grants and projects, foreign investment promotion, water supplies, road works, utilities and other infrastructure including electricity,” he said.


Source: Sun