The Senate which resumes plenary tomorrow after a two-month annual vacation will upon resumption take a definite stand on the alleged assault on a nursing mother levelled against Senator Elisha Abbo (Adamawa North), which was referred to an ad-hoc committee headed by former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North).
The upper legislative chamber will also revisit its earlier decision on Edo State House of Assembly that had been embroiled in inauguration crisis since June. An indication to this effect was given yesterday by the Chairman of the Senate committee on Media Publicity, Senator Adebayo Adeyeye.
The Senate spokesman told reporters that the Edo State Assembly issue as well as other issues including the assault allegation against Senator Abbo would have been concluded long before Senate went on recess “but for the ministerial list sent to us by President Muhammadu Buhari, which took two extra weeks for the Senate to consider and approve.” Adeyeye stated that there is an update on the Edo Assembly issue which must be collectively decided upon by all Senators.
Although he was not forthcoming on the update, he however emphasized that, recent developments on the Edo State Assembly issue may require the review of Senate’s earlier stand on the matter. “For all I know, the Senate’s stand on Edo Assembly issue may have to be reviewed in view of updates on the matter since we went on vacation. The matter will be tabled at plenary and like other outstanding issues before the Senate, it will be holistically considered vis-a-vis latest information before us and it is going to be a collective decision of all senators.”
He stated that with the recess over from tomorrow, “all issues, including the report of the ad-hoc committee set up to probe the assault allegation against a serving senator will be on the table for discussion by the Senate before a final decision is taken on them.”
The upper legislative chamber along with the House of Representatives had shortly before going on vacation in July threatened to take over Edo State House of Assembly if the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, failed within one week to issue another proclamation for the inauguration of the state assembly. The threat led to the state government approaching a federal high court sitting in Abuja which restrained the National Assembly from interfering in the affairs of the Edo State National Assembly until the final determination of the suit.
The red chamber had in July warned that the National Assembly will not hesitate to take over the legislative functions of Edo Assembly if the state governor fails to do the needful within one week. The Senate’s move was sequel to the adoption of the recommendations of its Ad-hoc Committee set up to investigate the crisis headed by the Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Sabi Abdullahi. In the wake of the court’s restraining order, Adeyeye said all issues associated with the crisis rocking Edo state House of Assembly will have to wait till the Senate resumes from its annual vacation on September 24.
The Senate had also in July gave its ad-hoc committee investigating assault allegation against Senator Abbo an additional week for it to submit its report. The Senator Egwu-led committee’s report which is said to be ready may be presented at plenary this week.
