By Ezrel Tabiowo and Taiye Odewale, Abuja
Debate on a Bill seeking an Act to make provisions for federal grants to Lagos state, in recognition of its socio-economic significance and other connected purposes, yesterday, led to a rowdy session on the floor of the Senate, and consequently stopped from sailing through the second reading.
Trouble started when lawmakers expressed open opposition to the Bill sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC Lagos Central).
The senators submitted that its intendment for one per cent special grants from the federation account, in the mode of 13 per cent derivation being given to oil producing states, runs afoul of the 1999 constitution as amended.
Specifically, Senator James Manager (PDP Delta South), in raising constitutional issue against the Bill, said; passing the Bill by the Senate would amount to violating Section 164(1) of the Constitution.
Copiously quoting the section, Manager said: “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 per cent derivation constitutionally provided for the oil-producing states,
Therefore, to him, the Bill, though very good on paper and appealing, but not for passage by the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly.
But one of the senators who supported consideration of the bill by the Senate, Philip Aduda (PDP, FCT), argued for similar consideration for the Federal Capital Territory, a submission openly derided by the Senate Whip, Olusola Adeyeye (APC Osun Central), who described FCT as a “rotten pampered child,” in an argument in favour of the Bill.
Angered by the remark, Senator Aduda and other demanded its retraction, which Adeyeye did upon an order to that effect by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided.
Tension created by Adeyeye’s remarks heightened further when he said, the FCT should not in any way be compared with Lagos, as far as tax revenues accruing into the federation account are concerned, making Aduda and some other senators to take him up again for retraction which he refused. His refusal instantly threw the red chamber into a rowdy session, with many of the senators, including Ekweremadu, on their feet for about five minutes to restore order.
At this point, Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu quickly put the passage of the Bill for second reading into voice votes, with the shout of nays rending the air, and therefore got stalked.
Earlier, in her lead debate, Senator Tinubu said, the Bill aimed to remedy the many problems faced by residents and visitors in Lagos, by empowering the federal government to make provisions for economic assistance through grants as provided for, under Section 164(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
“The bill allows the grant payable to be determined by the President and Commander in Chief on the recommendation of the Governor of Lagos state with a proviso that recommends a modest amount not less than one per cent of the share of the revenue accruing to the federal government,” she said.