Saraki and Dogara
The National Assembly complex was in a quiet and normal mode Tuesday morning as the much anticipated meeting of both chambers for consideration of INEC budget and other matters could not hold. By Monday evening it was obvious that the meeting had been postponed indefinitely.
The reason for postponement was not to stave off anticipated fireworks and schism between the APC and PDP. The reason, our correspondent has learnt, is a sresult of the inability of the relevant committees to finalise their works on the subject matters slated for consideration.
The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday confirmed that no date had been fixed for the two chambers to reconvene to consider the INEC 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This was contained in a statement by Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Senate President and Mr Turaki Hassan, Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to Speaker, House of Representatives in Abuja.
The Senate president and the speaker also clarified that no meeting between the two chambers took place to consider any report before the National Assembly.
“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,” they said.
Buhari forwarded the INEC 2019 elections budget request on July 17.
The Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the INEC ought to have met on or before Monday Aug. 13.
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.
