Monday 19 September 2011

Tensions escalate over National Assembly Committees

The two chambers of the National Assembly – the Senate and the House of Representatives – resumed on Tuesday 13th September after a seven-week recess. Both chambers are not yet fully underway because the Committees, which usually form the fulcrum of legislative activities and agenda, have not been yet been set up.

Sources have disclosed that in the Senate, there is a palpable feeling of unease over the Committees' establishment and the appointment of their heads and deputies. This unease stems from Senate president David Mark's decision to hand over the power of assigning the Committees and their heads to two individuals; his own deputy Ike Ekweremadu, and the House Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba.

According to our sources the Senators are kicking out against this while a House of Representatives' Selection Committee has been appointed and will soon meet to conclude the assignment of the committees to various House members.

It is expected that, following the brouhaha over the House's breach of the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) zoning agreement for the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, there will be concession to the party and to President Goodluck Jonathan which will ensure that their favourites get the prime Committees.

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© 2011 Menas Associates

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