‘It’s ill-timed’ — CSOs ask reps to suspend recess

A coalition of 39 civil society organisations of (CSOs) says the decision of the house of representatives to suspend all its activities will fuel conspiracy theories “of collusion and attempt to cover up fraud.”

On August 19, the lower legislative chamber announced the suspension of all activities till it resumes from its annual recess in September.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has since accused Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, of frustrating corruption investigations.

In a statement on Sunday, the CSOs said the federal lawmakers have only sat for 149 days instead of 181 days stipulated by the constitution.

They said before the lawmakers embarked on their vacation, they were conducting important probes which Nigerians are interested in.

“The legislative year is June 2019 to July 2020 ,two months vacation, 56 days public holiday,6-week Yuletide vocation,42 days,7-week coronavirus break,49 days in addition to 62 days for Saturdays and Sunday this means 216 days out of 365 days in a year,” the CSOs said.

“Therefore, the national assembly sat for only 149 days instead of the 181 days prescribed by the constitution. Many had thought that owing to the intermittent closure of the parliament in the wake of the pandemic and given the critical issues requiring legislative attention, that the lawmakers could have devised means of extending its plenary sittings and meeting the constitutionally-mandated 181 sitting days in a legislative year given the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Furthermore, prior to and during the ongoing vacation, the lawmakers were conducting very important investigative hearings into the mismanagement of public funds by various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the federal government as well as into the huge Chinese loans and their terms, among others.

“Citizens who were rattled by the revelations coming out of those hearings were waiting with keen interest for their logical conclusions and outcomes. Hence it was good to see these activities continue even into the vacation of the lawmakers.

“It was therefore shocking to wake up to the August 19th directive by the leadership of the House of Representatives suspending all legislative activities including those investigative hearings that had captivated the nation.

“We dare say that even if this decision was taken with good intentions, it is ill-advised, ill-timed and unhelpful as it fuels all forms of conspiracy theories and interpretation of collusion and attempt to cover up fraud, especially given that the National Assembly is already plagued by a lack of credibility or public trust.

“We also call on the house to ensure that the reports and outcomes of these investigative hearings are made publicly available and that all those who are found to be culpable should be brought to justice.”

The CSOs who signed the statement are; Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Centre for Democratic Research and Training (CRDDERT), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project (SERAP), Zero-Corruption Coalition (ZCC) and Accountability Maternal New-born and Child Health in Nigeria (AMHiN).

Others are; Partners on Electoral Reform, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), National Procurement Watch Platform, Say NO Campaign—Nigeria, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civil Education (CHRICED), Social Action, Community Action for Popular Participation.

Also the Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress (BOCODEP), Global Rights, Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE), Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), Tax Justice and Governance Platform, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, Women In Nigeria, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Women Advocate Research And Documentation Centre, Community Life Project, Nigerian Feminist Forum, Alliances for Africa, Spaces for Change, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, BudgiT Foundation, State of the Union (SOTU), Order Paper, Femi Falana Chamber, HEDA Resource Centre and Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution also appended their signatures to the statement.