Interestingly, it’s almost rolling to five months that Saraki took over the reins of leadership in the Senate and against all odds and through his effective and efficient leadership, he has continued to win more admirers both within and outside the Senate chambers.
On the streets, a lot of Nigerians now relate with the business of legislative practices because they could see radical changes and departures from business-as-usual in the 8th Senate.
To aptly drive home his quality and high standing moral, the Senate President when constituting some of the ad-hoc committees of the Red Chamber, ensured that its not members of his ‘Like Minds Senators’, who were in the vanguard of his emergence that got the privileges of becoming chairmen of these committees.
Notably in this regard, Senator Babajide Omoworare (Osun East), who was a strong supporter of Sen. Lawan, was appointed as the Chairman Senate Committee on Rules and Business.
In the business of legislative practice, the Senate under Saraki gave due diligence to the passage of motions that have positive impact on the livelihood of an average man on the street.
Taking interest in the efficient supply of electricity to Nigerians with the intent of alleviating the plights of their constituents, the Senate under Saraki passed a motion that led to the review of electricity tariff by the National Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC). In this regard, the Dr. Sam Amadi-led NERC, has abolished the concept of bulk metering for consumers, just as the commission, through the senate’s intervention, removed the mandatory N700 fixed rate charged on consumers by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Another novel effort by the Saraki-led senate was the decision by the lawmakers to personally see and listen to the tales of woes of Nigerians in the trouble states Borno and Adamawa for an on-the-spot assessment of the security situation and plight of residents in the insurgency ravaged area.
Although Senator Lawan turned down his nomination to be part of the delegation set up by the Senate President to visit the troubled Northeast, a six-man delegation to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, was eventually led by Saraki, while other members on the trip include Senate Leader, Ali Ndume; Deputy Chief Whip; Francis Alimikhena; Danjuma Goje; Bukar Abba Ibrahim; Hassan Mohammed; Abubakar Kyari and the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Isa Galaudu.
During the visit, Saraki assured Borno people that the entire country was solidly behind them in their trying period. He said: “We have come to feel your pains, to hear what you have been going through first hand. To seek to understand the severe bloody struggle you have had to endure and go through emotionally, physically, financially and in many other ways which can hardly be put in words”.
Following up on the Borno visit, the Senate made another visitation, but this time to New York, United States, where a delegation-led by Saraki attended the 4th United Nations International Conference for Heads of Parliaments. The three-man delegation which included Dino Melaye and Andy Uba, during the bilateral meetings with delegations from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, reiterated the need for international support for Nigeria in her bid to end the carnage in the North-East and resettle the people.
Though the 8th Assembly is still in its morning days, regardless of the statutory breaks and vacations, the Saraki led senate has shown signs of becoming one of the most productive legislative sessions in recent years, owing to the nature and relevance of motions and bills that pass through the chamber during plenary.
Among the many impactful motions that have been moved, debated and appropriate resolutions to in the general interest of Nigerians by the 8th Senate are: Managing the Challenges of the Raining Season by Sen. Andy E. Uba (Anambra South); Fuel Tanker Tragedies on Nigeria’s Highways, by Sen. Olugbenga Ashafa (Lagos East); Motorable State of Obajana-Kabba-Isanlu-East-Ilorin Road- Kabba-Iyara Iyamoye-Omu-Ekiti Road, by Sen. Dino Melaye (Kogi West); The State of Disrepair and Total Collapse of the Ikot Epkene-Itu-Calabar Federal Highway, by Sen. Bassey A. Akpan (Akwa-Ibom North East); Landslide in parts of Isikwuato (Isu 3) and Arochukwu Local Government Area in Abia North Senatorial Zone, Abia State and other areas within the country where gully erosion is prevalent, by Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North); and the Immediate Rehabilitation of the Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi Federal Highway, by Sen. Barau I. Jibrin (Kano North).
Others include: The State of the Economy: Naira Depreciation and its Implications, by Sen. Nazif Suleiman (Bauchi North); Flood and Erosion Disasters in Awka, Isuanaocha, Obosi and other Communities of Anambra Central, by Sen. Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central); The Ban on Nigeria Agricultural Exports Products by European Union (EU), by Sen. Francis A. Alimikhena (Edo North); Land and Water Resources Crisis and the Menace of Typha Grass in Hadejia-Jama’are-Komaciuga-Yobe Basin, by Sen. Muhammed U. Shittu (Jigawa North East); Danger posed to rural bank customers by the bank verification exercise, by Sen. Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti South); Unfair trade practices of Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) in Nigeria, by Sen. Samuel Egwu (Ebonyi North); and Harassment of the Senate, Senators and their spouses and National Assembly Management by security agencies of government, by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East), among others.
Keeping an eye on the economy, the Senator Rafiu Ibrahim’s motion, entitled: “Indiscriminate Use and Abuse of Waivers for Rice Importation”, triggered the constitution of an Ad hoc Committee chaired by Senator Adamu Aliero, to investigate and determine the extent of the illegality perpetrated by the immediate past administration in the import of rice and to suggest ways through which the Federal Government can recover the humongous amounts lost to the unwholesome practice. The committee is already sitting and taking evidence from witnesses.
Sensing the leadership grip and legislative shrewdness of Saraki, foreign ambassadors, government institutions, corporate bodies, various groups and associations have been paying courtesy visits on the President of the Senate since the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly on June 9.
In one of the visits, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, pledged his country’s support for the Nigerian Senate, led by Bukola Saraki, stating that the British government would offer necessary assistance to support the federal parliament in addressing its shortcomings.
Clearly, the radical move by Nigerians to shed the old order of imposition and godfatherism is paying off and even in the midst of the intrigues and shenanigans to bring down the leadership of the senate, Saraki has sufficiently demonstrated that he is imbued with the political, mental and psychological acumen to lead a culturally and politically diverse but focus eighth senate. As time will unveil, those opposed to him initially have started appreciating his legislative wizardry.
This article was originally published on Vanguard.
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