House of Representatives’ bid to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on Nigeria Peace Corps Establishment Bill failed yesterday, as members voted against the second reading of the re-introduced proposed law yesterday. President Buhari had earlier in the year declined assent to the Bill as passed by the National Assembly, on the grounds that the duties outlined for the Corps when established were already being performed by existing security agencies, as well as paucity of funds to cater for the planned new outfit.
The House, in a swift reaction through its spokesman, Abdurazak Namdas, however, listed the Nigeria Peace Corps Bill among the about 10 it had firmly resolved to override the President’s veto. It, however, re-introduced the Bill, and debated its general principles, preceding its second reading yesterday, after which majority of members voted against its passage.
Titled “A Bill for an Act to Establish the Nigerian Peace Corps to Develop, Empower and Provide Gainful Employment for the Youth, Facilitate Peace, Volunteerism, Community Service, Neigbourhood watch and Nation-Building; and for Related Matters (Veto Override)”, it was this time sponsored by the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Emmanuel Orker-Jev.
He had while leading debate on the Bill harped on its benefits to include “creating job opportunities for the youths, which would in turn help to address the issues of kidnapping, robbery and other vices,” adding that the Corps was already in existence, but what was needed was “to regularise its operations, so as to address the fear entertained by Nigerians.”
Dramatically, members were divided in their contributions, as some members supported the passage of the Bill as a means of addressing insecurity; others argued that the Peace Corps, if established would amount to a duplication of efforts, insisting that government had also explained that it lacked funds to meet its operational needs.
Supporting the Bill, Abdulrazak Namdas said: “The essence of government is security and welfare. This Peace Corps can help to address the security in the country. We should not look at the funding alone, but we should also look at the security situation in this country. The Army today is overwhelmed. In my own opinion, we should support this Bill.”
And speaking in opposition, Johnson Agbonayima said: “The reason Buhari did not accent the Bill was because of security and funding. The Nigeria police are underfunded. We should look beyond the mind of Mr. President why he didn’t assent the Bill. We must do the needful. Nigeria security is not a bear parlour issue; we should look into it seriously.”
