To save face from what was about to be dubbed the laziest Senate in history, the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, passed 46 bills into law within 10 minutes barely 24 hours to winding down the Seventh Senate. The action was intended to shore up the number of bills passed by the Upper Chamber but it remains to be seen if the Lower House will concur on the bills.
The curious passage violated the order in which bills are passed. Every bill ought to have passed first and second reading usually with input from the relevant committees but the Senate took a short cut.
Ita Enang, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, introduced the bills on the floor of Senate for consideration.
The mode of passage and the number of bills involved kicked up controversy but the Senate President, David Mark had his way, calling for voice votes and got all the 46 bills passed within 10 minutes.
However, Mark asked those who were not satisfied with the passage of the bills to raise objections in writing at plenary on Thursday.
To pave the way for hurried passage, the Senate had earlier suspended Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders creating the impression that all the Bills had passed first, second and third readings on the floor of the Senate and concurred to same.
The bills had been earlier passed by the House of Representatives in the current Seventh Assembly.
Mark also said the Senate will continue further deliberations on the controversial Fourth Alteration Bill, which seeks to further amend the 1999 Constitution, on Thursday.
According to him, the valedictory session to formally close the Seventh Senate would be held on Thursday.
Aside microwaving 46 bills the Senate also approved President Buhari’s request to appoint 15 advisers barely 48 hours after receiving the request, a gesture some Nigerians hailed as ‘noble’.
