By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The Minority Leader and senator representing Abia South senatorial district, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Wednesday frightened the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan with Order 73.
Sundiata Post recalls that Senate Wednesday experienced a rowdy session after the Minority Leader accused the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan of dividing the Senate.
The drama followed the ruling of voice vote against the second reading of the bill for an Act to give effect to section 219 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the establishment of the Armed Forces Service Commission and for other related matters, 2021 (SB.362) sponsored by the Abia South Senator.
Before the bill was put to voice vote, members of the All Progressives Congress including but not limited to Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who made contributions on the bill, criticized the bill and the sponsor of the bill which they described as controversial and ill-willed.
In their contributions, Senator James Manager and his counterpart, Senator Chukwuka Utazi (both PDP senators) submitted that the bill is a harmless bill which will ensure stability in the country and give every geo-political zone a sense of belonging as well as eliminate agitations being witnessed today in the country. Adding that it will also ensure that the appointment of Service Chiefs is not lopsided, concentrated and dominated by one ethnic group and it will reflect federal character principle. They urged their other colleagues in the ruling party not to politicise to the bill but to rise above partisan politics as distinguished senators and support the bill for national interest.
At this point, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan who put the second reading of the bill to voice vote ruled against its second reading, making the bill to die a natural death after the nays exceeded the yeahs in the voice vote.
In a swift reaction, the Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who is also the sponsor of the bill, who came through order 73, accused the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan of dividing the house and therefore called for individual voting on the bill.
To counter the order 73, the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege said the order 73 window explored by the Minority Leader talks about exercising “opinion” of the President of the Senate on a matter, arguing that that is not the case here- that the Senate President did not expressed his opinion but acted on voice vote.
At this juncture, Senator James Manager rose again and reminded the President of the Senate that since 1999, at no time has order 73 been mentioned that the issue in question was not allowed to go for voting and as such, and advised that the only way he (the President of the Senate) will riggle himself out of the accused division is to allow for voting.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan for fear of the unknown, quickly announced that the House will proceed on a closed door session to discuss the issue in contention.
When the House resumed hearing, the President of the Senate announced that they have discussed the matter – putting national interest first with other considerations. We have appealed to the Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to withdraw the Order 73 and also to withdraw the bill for further consultation and representation.
The Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe got up and said: “I want to make a compound sentence, to preserve the sanctity of the senate, I am withdrawing the Order 73 and I am also withdrawing the bill”.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan thanked the Minority Leader for admitting to withdraw both Order 73 and the bill and said God will indeed bless you.
The House therefore adjourned plenary to reconvene again Tuesday next week