National Assembly To Hold Emergency Plenary Sessions On Thursday

National Assembly to hold emergency plenary sessions on Thursday

By Aisha Musa

The lawmakers currently on Sallah break are discussing issues concerning oversight on the Appropriations and constitutional and electoral concerns.

The Senate and House of Representatives will convene emergency plenary sessions on Thursday.

The Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs Chairman, Yemi Adaramodu, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

The two chambers adjourned plenary on 11 June for Eid-el-Kabir celebrations and are expected to resume on July 2.

Mr Adaramodu said the lawmakers would discuss issues surrounding the supplementary budget during the emergency sessions.

He also said they would discuss “hanging issues of constitutional and electoral concerns”. At the same time, the outstanding bills and motions would be passed before the two chambers proceed to annual recess later in the year.

“It’s our statutory resumption from the Sallah break. Senate has the constitutional power to regulate its sessions, and we believe that we could gain one more Legislative day to deal with national and constitutional issues, hence the bringing forward from the initial July 2.

“We hope to deal with issues concerning our further oversight on the Appropriations and clear further the hanging issues of constitutional and electoral concerns. And clear outstanding bills and motions, expectedly before our annual recess, later in the year,” Mr Adaramodu said.

While the lawmakers are observing the holiday, the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence met and recommended the purchase of new aircraft for President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima despite the economic challenges facing Nigerians.

The Senate committee has also supported the planned purchase.

However, many Nigerians, including Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, have criticised the National Assembly’s decision since the recommendations became public.