Connect with us
X
Categories:

General

Order Of Elections: Bribe Claims Rock National Assembly

Published

on

Share this post:

Lawmakers may have dumped their agreement with party chiefs to pull the brakes on their plan to override the President’s veto of the Electoral Amendment Bill reversing the order of elections, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Unless the National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) slated for today at the Aso Villa and the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting billed for tomorrow can convince Senator Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara to get their colleagues to back off; the Senate and the House of Representatives are likely to proceed with the plan, a source said.

Supporters of the bill have alleged that “some powerful individuals sympathetic to the President” at the weekend perfected a plan to bribe National Assembly members.

The allegation is that pro- executive senators might receive $50,000 each. House of Representatives members sympathetic to the President will each receive $30,000 to “kill the amendment”, which was initiated by the lawmakers.

This could however not be independently confirmed. Pro- Buhari senators described the allegation as “hogwash”, saying if there was any such move, those pushing that the National Assembly should override the veto were plotting to induce “ those in their camp financially.”

“They are diverting attention from their plan, “a pro- Buhari senator said at the weekend.

Lawmakers in support of the bill said the plot to bribe National Assembly members was perfected at “some high profile meetings “in Abuja at the weekend. The meeting was also said to have resolved that “anti-executive lawmakers who have cases with anti-corruption agencies should be threatened with prosecution in days to come”.

Those said to have attended were some pro-Buhari governors from the Northwest , the Northcentral and the Northeast. A “minister from Southsouth” was also said to be present.

They said they learnt that “some key members of the executive who have been spearheading strategies for President Buhari’s re-election in 2019 were unequivocal that the National Assembly must be stopped from going ahead with plans to veto the President on the electoral bill as amended by us, particularly the order of the 2019 national elections. “

In withholding assent to the bill, the President argued that the amendment by the lawmakers infringed on the constitutional powers of INEC.

The President also said that the passage of the bill could lead to a situation where the National Assembly would be seen as legislating for the states on local government management.

The Legal Department of the National Assembly, however, faulted the points raised by President Buhari to withhold assent to the bill.

It advised the lawmakers to go ahead with overriding the veto if they so wished.

The President’s action has further polarised both chambers of the assembly, with those in his support claiming that 54 out of the 109 senators have indicated their intention to vote against overriding the veto.

An anti – Buhari senator rejected the claim that 54 senators might vote against overriding the veto. “But for the death of Senator Ali Wakili (Bauchi South) the Senate would have voted on the veto last Thursday. And all this would have been laid to rest, “ he said.

A source at the weekend insisted that the plan to override President Buhari’s veto was “still very much on”.

The National Assembly has continued with mobilising for signatures in support of a possible override of the President’s veto.

The source claimed that 67 senators had signed “a pro-Senate register to override the President’s veto.

The number, said to have been in a register kept by a Northeast senator, the source claimed, swelled to 67 from last week’s 63.

According to the source, “the number of senators might rise far beyond 80 if the more than 20 others said to be sitting on the fence sign up this week”.

It was also learnt that pro-Buhari senators are unrelenting in their push to stall the plot to override the President.

The source said: “The Pro-Saraki group has encouraged some of its members to infiltrate the rank of the Pro-Buhari group to give them a false sense of hope that they are greater in number. That makes the pro-Buhari group have a false sense of improvement but the senators know where they really belong.

”A meeting of the pro- Senate group held in Lagos after the wedding party of the daughter of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, at the weekend. The meeting afforded the Pro-Senate Senators the opportunity to review the register and it was affirmed that 67 senators have so far signed,” the source said.

He noted that about 20 senators believed to be sitting on the fence who had been neutral in the meetings of the Pro-Senate and Pro-Buhari so far are set to sign the register.

It was learnt that three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) joined the Senators at the Lagos meeting.

The Lagos meeting, it was gathered, adopted the interpretation of the law that the two-thirds majority required to override the President’s veto are “those present in each chamber and not two-thirds majority of all members of the Senate or the House”.

The source noted that baring last-minute changes, “the plan to over ride veto may start this week because the Senate leadership is sure of sufficient number to act and get the desired results”.

Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Abu Ibrahim insisted that the Electoral Act amendment 2018 is Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agenda aimed at frustrating the APC during the 2019 election.

The Katsina South lawmaker, who spoke in Abuja, insisted that those plotting to override the President’s assent on the Bill will fail.

To him, it is practically impossible for those plotting to override the assent of the President to secure two-third majority on the floor of the upper chamber.

Ibrahim described the adoption of the conference report which placed presidential election last in reordered sequence of elections as an afterthought that will be defeated on the floor of the Senate.

He said: “I am sure there is no way we can override the President on the floor of the Senate. They cannot get the two-third required to override Mr. President. I am against the Bill. You cannot just come now and say you want to change the election sequence. I will not for vote for it. I will stand up to oppose it even if it is only me alone. I will oppose it. I am from Katsina State. Whatever happens, I will oppose it.”

“Even if the National Assembly has the power to reorder election sequence, it remained an afterthought coming when it did.

“The PDP has no president, APC has. From the totality of the Bill, this Bill is working for the PDP, not APC. The Bill is PDP agenda.”

On the legal advice which dismissed the premise upon which President Buhari withheld assent to the Bill, Ibrahim noted that whatever the legal advice might be, it will still come to the floor of the Senate for consideration.

Ibrahim asked Nigerians not to worry about the Bill since “it will die a natural death”.

Nigerians, he said, should rather worry about the inability of the National Assembly to pass the 2018 budget months after it was presented.

He also said that Nigerians should be worried about the inability of the Senate to confirm many nominees forwarded to it for consideration and approval.

On the insinuation that the leadership of the National Assembly is divided on the Bill, Ibrahim said that might not be far from the truth since the leadership has not spoken openly about the Bill.

He said: “As an experienced senator, I can see there is a problem somewhere, which we have to address. Part of it is what the President did the other day by meeting the leadership of the two chambers to find a meeting point.”

Ibrahim insisted that Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara must, at all times, be mindful of what their members wanted “because we are the people who put them in office”.

The lawmaker who described the National Assembly as the melting pot of different realities noted “everything we do, there will be differences because individual, ethnic, religious and political affiliations”.

The differences, he said, remained the live wire of the National Assembly, which should not surprise anybody.


Get More Stories Like This On: Facebook: @AllNaijaEntertainment, Twitter: @AllNaijaEntertainment
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Chief Oyerigha Echo Toikumoh - The Earlier The Better
Music1 month ago

[Music] Chief Oyerigha Echo Toikumoh – The Earlier The Better

Enzo Maresca and Mikel Arteta stated they will not take Pep Guardiola's place at Manchester City
Sports1 month ago

Enzo Maresca and Mikel Arteta stated they will not take Pep Guardiola’s place at Manchester City

Alan Shearer reckons Liverpool star is ‘not going to get better’
Sports1 month ago

Alan Shearer reckons Liverpool star is ‘not going to get better’

NECO examiners threaten nationwide protest over unpaid entitlements
News1 month ago

NECO examiners threaten nationwide protest over unpaid entitlements

Jonathan congratulates Trump on historic election win
News1 month ago

Jonathan congratulates Trump on historic election win

Peter Obi can become president in 2027 — Yunusa Tanko
News1 month ago

Peter Obi can become president in 2027 — Yunusa Tanko

Dua Lipa forced to cancel show after ‘unforeseen safety issues’
Entertainment1 month ago

Dua Lipa forced to cancel show after ‘unforeseen safety issues’

Uzoamaka Onuoha wins Best Female Performance in a feature at AFRIFF 2024
Entertainment1 month ago

Uzoamaka Onuoha wins Best Female Performance in a feature at AFRIFF 2024

'Phoenix Fury' bags Best Film award at the 13th edition of AFRIFF
Entertainment1 month ago

‘Phoenix Fury’ bags Best Film award at the 13th edition of AFRIFF

Vivo begins teasing new Dimensity 9400 flagships internationally
Technology2 months ago

Vivo begins teasing new Dimensity 9400 flagships internationally

Google Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro may trade performance gains for longer battery life
Technology2 months ago

Google Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro may trade performance gains for longer battery life

Manchester United players warned ‘only one is safe’ under Ruben Amorim
Sports2 months ago

Manchester United players warned ‘only one is safe’ under Ruben Amorim

Austin DeAnda given impromptu makeover after he is forced to have haircut in the middle of fight
Sports2 months ago

Austin DeAnda given impromptu makeover after he is forced to have haircut in the middle of fight

IG orders punishment for errant cops
News2 months ago

IG orders punishment for errant cops

Be ready to recover stolen mandate — Ighodalo tells PDP
News2 months ago

Be ready to recover stolen mandate — Ighodalo tells PDP

No part of Ogun will be ceded under my watch — Dapo Abiodun
News2 months ago

No part of Ogun will be ceded under my watch — Dapo Abiodun

Ruger calls out auto tune and hype culture in music
Entertainment2 months ago

Ruger calls out auto tune and hype culture in music

I hate to play same role repeatedly — Actress Bimbo Akintola
Entertainment2 months ago

I hate to play same role repeatedly — Actress Bimbo Akintola

Fans split on Davido, Wizkid, and Burna Boy's Grammy nominations.
Entertainment2 months ago

Fans split on Davido, Wizkid, and Burna Boy’s Grammy nominations

Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim: Leaker reveals launch details for Samsung's rival iPhone 17 Air
Technology2 months ago

Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim: Leaker reveals launch details for Samsung’s rival iPhone 17 Air

Realme names first smartphone to get Android 15 beta worldwide
Technology2 months ago

Realme names first smartphone to get Android 15 beta worldwide

England interim manager tipped for surprise Premier League job
Sports2 months ago

England interim manager tipped for surprise Premier League job

Hakim Ziyech mocks Israeli supporters attacked in Amsterdam
Sports2 months ago

Hakim Ziyech mocks Israeli supporters attacked in Amsterdam

Court jails seven for internet fraud in Kaduna
News2 months ago

Court jails seven for internet fraud in Kaduna

Edo APC criticizes Obaseki’s last-minute appointments
News2 months ago

Edo APC criticizes Obaseki’s last-minute appointments

Edo PDP announces caretaker committee
News2 months ago

Edo PDP announces caretaker committee

Tems makes history after securing 3 nominations for the 67th Grammys
Entertainment2 months ago

Tems makes history after securing 3 nominations for the 67th Grammys

Beyoncé surpasses Jay-Z to become the most nominated artist in Grammy history
Entertainment2 months ago

Beyoncé surpasses Jay-Z to become the most nominated artist in Grammy history

Davido, Wizkid, Tems, Asake make 2025 Grammy nominations
Entertainment2 months ago

Davido, Wizkid, Tems, Asake make 2025 Grammy nominations

Davido, Wizkid, Tems, Asake make 2025 Grammy nominations
Entertainment2 months ago

2025 GRAMMY: Academy unveils category changes ahead of nomination event

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Final Episode 13)

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Episode 12)

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Episode 11)

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Episode 10)

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Episode 09)

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Episode 08)

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Episode 07)

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Episode 06)

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Episode 05)

The Pastor Daughter Story by Miriam Edem _ ANE Story
ANE Stories2 months ago

[STORY] THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER (Episode 04)

ANE Billboard Hots



Join "ANE sabi" clique

Don't miss a thing, get ogbonge ANE latest updates to fuel your conversation daily.