SENATE SUSPENSION OF REC’s CONFIRMATION AS PETTY AND A BLACKMAIL

The Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) condemns in the strongest terms, the irresponsible, insensitive, petty, ridicule of legislative integrity and blackmail by Nigeria’s Senate suspension of the confirmation of 27 Residential Electoral Commissioners (REC) submitted to it by the executive.

According to the senate, they hinged their suspension of the confirmation of the 27 REC’s on the premise that the executive is disrespecting and ridiculing the senate by for instance, not sacking Mr. Magu whose confirmation as EFCC chairman has been rejected twice by the upper legislative chamber.

What a shame that our “distinguished” Senators are pretending not to be aware of the indisputable fact that their utterances and conducts, time and time again has brought the image of the Senate and by extension, Nigeria’s democracy to public ridicule.

In sane clime, membership of the legislative chamber bestows honour, integrity and responsibility on representatives of the people who are very conscious of their roles as custodian of the peoples mandate and values which should be treated with utmost decency, civility sensitivity and seriousness, rather than the pettiness, irresponsibility, arrogance, crudity, illegality and blackmail which has characterized legislative business in the Nigeria’s Senate.

For the umpteenth time, we must make it clear to our Senate that Nigeria operates a constitutional democracy in which the functions of the three arms of government are clearly spelt out in our written constitution and enjoined to be complementary. The function of the Senate in Nigeria just like in other democracies of the world is to make laws for the good of the society and to take on other functions as prescribed by law.

The duty of the Senate apart from lawmaking, is to screen nominees presented to it for confirmation by Mr. President as prescribed by law and if Mr. President is not convinced of the grounds for the rejection of his nominees, he has the constitutional right to represent such nominees as many times as he desires, just as the Senate also has the powers to reject such nominees as many times as it deems fit that such a nominee has not met the requirements for confirmation.

The Senate needs to be admonished to remain focused on its constitutional function and refrain from the dictatorial tendencies of arrogating to itself powers in violation of the constitution which is the Grundnorm.

Therefore, the Senate suspension of the confirmation of the 27 REC’s on the grounds that the President has not sacked the acting EFFC chairman because his nomination has been rejected by the house, is an act of irresponsibility, reckless, cheap blackmail, petty, unconstitutional, misconduct, exhibition of ignorance, assault on national sensibilities, ridicule of legislative integrity and interference in executive functions which is an abuse of the constitution and is condemnable.

Thanks.
Yours Sincerely,
Signed.
Nelson Ekujumi
Executive Chairman