
The National Assembly yesterday took over the legislative activities of the Kogi state House of Assembly, following the festering political crisis which has engulfed the state lawmakers in recent time.
The federal parliament also directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, to seal off the premises of Kogi state House of Assembly to avoid further crisis.
Recall that five out of twenty members of the Kogi State House of Assembly, including four All Progressives Congress (APC) members and one Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, under the cover of the State Police Command, sat and unlawfully impeached the Speaker of the State Assembly, Jimmoh Lawal.
The decision by the National Assembly to seal off the State Assembly and takeover their legislative activities followed the Senate’s concurrence yesterday on the resolutions in this regards which was passed by the lower House earlier.
The federal lawmakers also resolved to take over the legislative responsibilities of the Kogi State Assembly, just as it condemned the role played by the Nigerian Police in subverting the provisions of the constitution by providing cover for only five members out of the twenty members of the state House of Assembly to commit illegalities.
While declaring the impeachment proceedings unconstitutionally embarked upon by five members of the Kogi State House of Assembly as null and void, the National Assembly lamented the intractable crisis and volatile security in the state.
It cited the powers conferred on it by Sections 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution to take over the legislative functions of the Kogi state House of Assembly, pending when normalcy returns in the Assembly.
However, shortly after the report was introduced by the Senate Leader for consideration, Ali Ndume, Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West), objected that the National Assembly should take over the legislative responsibilities of the state lawmakers.
According to him, based on senate standing order 41, no member of the House of Representatives or Senate shall bring a petition to either chamber on matters he or she is an interested party.
He also argued that the matter is already in court where a judicial remedy is being sought by a party in the case, reminding the Senate that based on precedence, any matter that is before a court of law, the Senate standing order prohibits it from taking any action on the same matter.
He also observed that based on the recommendation of the House of Representatives that the impeachment of the Kogi Speaker by five members was null and void; there is no justification for the National Assembly to take over the legislative activities of the Kogi State Assembly.
On this, he called on the Senate not to concur with the House of Representatives even in the face of wrong decision, urging that the Senate should go through the details and reasons on which the lower chamber passed the resolutions to correct the wrongs.
However, James Manager (APC, Delta state), pointed out that since the National Assembly has agreed that the impeachment was null and void, it will be most rational to reinstate the wrongly impeached Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly.
He said but since it is in the Spirit of the National Assembly to concur when one House has passed a resolution, it is proper for the Senate to concur with the lower chambers on the prayers contained in the resolutions.
Similarly, Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP, Taraba), said that now that God has granted Nigeria change, the change cannot be seen to be condoning legislative brigandage, which was witnessed in the past when two lawmakers will seat under a tree and impeach the constitutionally elected Speaker.
He warned the National Assembly not to condone such unconstitutional actions by few members, saying if not, very soon, such ugly trend will repeat itself in the National Assembly.
He said the Nigerian democracy is no longer nascent, but has grown to the extent that voodoo democracy and legislative practices should not be condoned again anywhere in the country.
Therefore, when the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, put the question for vote, majority of the Senators voted that the National Assembly should take over the legislative activities of the Kogi lawmakers.
He therefore said there is need for deliberate efforts to bring back peace in the Kogi Assembly chambers, and bring the state lawmakers back to do their works.
He said the National Assembly does not like to rush into such issues that concern the state lawmakers, but that it has become necessary to act fast to protect the Nigeria’s Constitution for the future.