The two chambers of the National Assembly had been widely expected to reconvene today and on Wednesday, but both have just officially confirmed it won’t happen due to the inability of two pre-resumption meetings to hold.
The National Assembly says it will “most irresponsible” to reconvene now to consider the budget request of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 elections forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018.
The two chambers of the National Assembly had been widely expected to reconvene today and on Wednesday, but both have just officially confirmed it won’t happen due to the inability of two pre-resumption meetings to hold.
A statement signed on Tuesday by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President, and Turaki Hassan, Special Adviser (Media and Public Affairs) to the Speaker, House of Representatives, said the National Assembly could not fix a date for reconvening yet, because it had “no report to consider".
"The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have directed that we inform all Senators, Honorable Members and the public that a date has not been set for the reconvening of the Senate and the House of Representatives to consider the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018," the statement read.
"The leadership of the two chambers had met and agreed to reconvene to consider the proposal this week before which a meeting between the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the INEC must have held on or before Monday August 13, 2018.
"The joint committees were also expected to meet with the joint Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Loans and Debts on the Eurobond loan request after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.
"However, no such meeting had taken place yet as a result of which both Senate and House of Representatives cannot reconvene as there is no report to consider.
"Until the Committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers, it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj."