X-raying Reps’ fresh approach to nationwide agitations

Recently, the House of Representatives resumed from its two-month recess and quickly identifi ed with the growing concern of Nigerians, especially the rising agitations for restructuring the country.
JOSHUA EGBODO x-rays the discourse from the perspective of the House.

Revisit constitution Amendment Proposals When the current National Assembly commenced work on some bills designed to further alter the complexion of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, many Nigerians were in high expectation that certain imbalances that have been the sources of agitations and cries of marginalization will, to a great extent, if not wholly, be addressed.
Th eir hopes were further boosted by the repeated assurances by the special Ad hoc committee for the review of the Constitution in the House of Representatives, headed by the Deputy Speaker, Hon.
Lasun Yusuf, that certain recommendations in the 2014 National Conference’s report have been adopted as working materials for the committee.
Th ough there were no offi cial records of its formal transmission to the National Assembly, the assurances of the committee enjoyed the support of many stakeholders.
Key concerns of many Nigerians were on the need to restructure the polity by way of devolving powers to the federating units, addressing perceived imbalances, local government autonomy, amongst others.
But to the consternation of many, both the Senate and the House of Representatives in voting on some of these issues could not garner the needed two-third majority for the items to scale through.
Growing Agitation

So, when the parliament proceeded on its annual recess in late July, agitations which hitherto appeared latent began to take more dangerous dimensions, with quit notice issued by a group from a section of the North to South easterners residing within the northern region.
Th ey tended to argue that since the South Easterners no longer believe in a united Nigeria, they can leave.
Th at was to trigger even greater turmoil, with key fi gures across the zones of the nation meeting and calling for restructuring as way out of the persistent rising threats to national cohesion.
It was, therefore, not surprising when at the resumption of the House from its recess on September 26, 2017, Speaker Yakubu Dogara harped on the need for the House to revisit the issue of devolution of power and other burning matters agitating the minds of Nigerians.
He observed that a lot of threatening agitations have been on while they were on break.
Legislative Response Delivering his welcome address at the resumption of plenary, the Speaker said all questions and issues regarding restructuring can, however, only be addressed through the legislature.
“Do we have a legislative response to the issues that have been thrown up? Is the National Assembly involved in the debate? Can restructuring take place outside the existing legal order? Indeed all the arguments about restructuring are at the end of the day, legislative issues.
“It may be necessary in due course for the National Assembly to have a second look at the issues that have been thrown up.
Th e National Assembly as a representative and product of the people cannot act contrary to the wishes and aspirations of its constituents.
We need to sift all the ‘noise’ and fi nd out what exactly a majority of our people actually want? Th is is a responsibility we cannot outsource.
“It is my view that we need to revisit some aspects of the voting on constitution alteration.
Luckily, we still have the legislative window of conferencing with the Senate, where we have diff erences”, Dogara stated in the address.
Special Committee His resolve was taken further immediately, through a motion under matters of urgent public importance, by Majority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila who prayed that it was time the Speaker’s words were matched with urgent practical actions.
Th e lawmaker, who cautioned that posterity would not forgive them if the needed actions to save the unity of the country were not urgently taken, asked that a special committee be constituted to engage with stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones of the country, after which a legislative action should be taken to address the agitations.
“Th ere have been diff erent agitations across the Nigeria which had led to divergent views on the suitability of redefi ning the structures upon which the unity of Nigeria rests.
Th ese agitations have resulted into proscription of groups, loss of lives and judicial pronouncements.
“Events of the last few weeks brought Nigeria close to a precipice but for the determination of Nigerians in their various show of commitment to the peace and unity of the country.
Hence, the urgent need for the intervention of the House of Representatives.
We’ve been down through the road before, and never shall we go back.
It is time the House begin the process of healing.
Let us rise and speak in one voice, and bring this country together”, Gbajabiamila noted.
His prayer was adopted, as members voted unanimously in support of the motion, which later saw the emergence of the House’s 16-member Special Ad hoc Committee on Political Agitations in Nigeria, also headed by Deputy Speaker Yussuff .
Committee and credibility issues With the committee in place, reprieve has been on the minds of some Nigerians, but there are those however, who are still pessimistic on whether it will be able to address the nagging issues.
To the later, what if its report and recommendations do not get the support of the larger House, as was the case in the constitution review voting? What if the panel gets rejected across, or in some of the zones? Would the panel be transparent enough, and not reel out a product of a section of the country as outcome of its engagements? Questions, questions, and many more questions begging for answers.
Th e House attempted to provide assurances to Nigerians, through its spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas, who, moments after the committee was raised, told journalists that there was no specifi c template designed for the committee to work with.
Th e lawmaker said the panel “will collate views of stakeholders across the country, after which all will be integrated into the devolution of power bill and reintroduced” on the fl oor for the House to be considered, and subsequently voted on.
He also cautioned that Nigerians should not expect automatic resolution of the issues, as there are processes in line with the House’s rules to be followed.
Fears have been that regional interests worsened the agitations, with concerns that the outcome may still suff er same fate on the fl oor of the House.
Analysts have continued to query the resolve of the House buys into the recommendations of the committee, and even if it does will the Senate, which by law and procedure, is expected to off er concurrence, do the same, at least in national interest? To many Nigerians, the wishes of the people should be paramount, and thus, the House, through the special intervention committee should take that as their compass as it embarks on the mission.
Th e committee’s planned engagements, which has been described as mini confabs, akin to the larger 2014 National Conference, has been advised by followers of the new developments to fi rmly gird its loins, as the task may after all not be easy.
Th ere have been meetings, and planned regional meetings on what to take to the table as their positions.
Its ability, therefore, to collate the expected dissenting pieces of opinion, and come out with possibly acceptable recommendation may be a huge task.
Leader of the committee, Lasun Yussuff , who at the inaugural meeting of the committee on September 28, appealed for support from all stakeholders, has assured Nigerians that “the committee would do everything within its power to come up with solutions that would stop further agitations in the country”.

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