Senate in session
The Nigerian Senate was on fire Wednesday as a bill seeking for an Act to make provisions for federal grants to Lagos State in recognition of its socio-economic significance and other connected purposes stirred up a rowdy session. The bill failed to scale through second reading.
Sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC Lagos Central), the bill ran into early storm when those opposed to it argued that its intendment for 1% Special grant from the federation account in the mode of 13% derivation being given to oil producing states, runs counter to the 1999 constitution as amended.
Senator James Manager (PDP Delta South), specifically argued that passing the bill would amount to violating section 164(1) of the constitution which he quoted: “The federation may make grants to states or local governments, to supplement the revenue of that state or that local government, subject to such certain terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the National Assembly”.
He said based on the provision of the constitution, the National Assembly would have to put on ground, certain terms and conditions for requesting for such grants from the president to any affected states or local government on a template of intervention and not a permanent arrangement like the 13% derivation constitutionally provided for the oil producing states,
There was a side kick by Senator Philip Aduda (PDP FCT) who argued for similar consideration for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a submission openly derided by the Senate Whip, Olusola Adeyeye (APC Osun Central), describing FCT as a “rotten pampered child”. But such description of the FCT infuriated Senator Aduda and some other senators who demanded its retraction. The stand-off was resolved when Senator Adeyeye retracted the statement upon an order to that effect, by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session
But Senator Adeyeye rankled more senators when he stated that FCT should not in any way be compared with Lagos, as far as tax revenues accruing into the federation account are concerned. This got Aduda and some other senators to demand for retraction but Adeyeye refused and thereby throwing the senate into rowdy session with many of the senators including Ekweremadu having to stand up to restore order.
The Deputy Senate President however put the motion for the bill to undergo second reading into voice vote with the nays having it.
