NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 'CONSIDERING RECONVENING' BEFORE SEPT 25 — JUST FOR ONE DAY
NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY 'CONSIDERING RECONVENING' BEFORE SEPT 25 — JUST FOR ONE DAY.
It was
also reported that both upper and lower chambers of the house would only sit
for a day and continue with their annual recess, which is due to end on the
25th of September.
The
National Assembly is considering reconvening before September 25 to approve the
2019 elections budget presented by the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC).
According to Daily Trust, the leadership of
the National Assembly agreed to this after the meetings with INEC Chairman,
Mahmood Yakubu.
It was
also reported that both upper and lower chambers of the house would only sit
for a day and continue with their annual recess, which is due to end on the
25th of September.
Although
the assembly is yet to fix a day for the meeting, the house committees
overseeing INEC would conclude on the figures to be released and present their
stand to the appropriation committee.
“There’s
no definite date yet, and I don’t think it will be next week because
I should be in the know. All I know is that we’ve agreed to reconvene and
consider the election budget. What I can’t tell you now is the actual
date," the paper quoted a source as saying.
“What
they want to do is to just reconvene and do everything within one day and go
back for us to continue with the recess. You know the issue of impeachment is
there, so nobody wants to take chances."
Not
sure whether the House would be having a joint meeting to approve the election,
budget, the source said, adding: “If we want to have another joint sitting,
then each house has to sit separately and agree on that first”.
The
approval of INEC budget by the House has generated so much buzz since the
National Assembly went on a two-month annual leave, which is to end in September.
So many
organisations, including INEC itself, has urged the assembly to reconvene to
approve the election budget, stating that it would be late to start preparing
for the 2019 elections if it is to wait to September when the house should
officially reconvene.
Similarly,
the figure to be approved has been a matter of contention, as two figures,
N189.2bn presented by INEC and N143.512bn sent by President Muhammadu Buhari,
are before the Assembly.
While
APC legislatures are demanding the figure presented by the commission is
approved, PDP lawmakers are pushing for the approval of N143.512bn presented by
the President.
