Saraki: Senate will reconvene if the need arises

Bukola Saraki, president of the Nigerian senate, says the upper chamber of the national assembly will reconvene before July 21 – the date it is scheduled to reconvene – if there is “any matter of urgent national importance that requires its attention”.

The adjournment had dashed hopes of Nigerians who are anticipating President Muhammadu Buhari to forward the list of his ministerial nominees to the assembly for screening.

But in a statement released by his media team on Thursday evening, Saraki allayed fears of Nigerians.

“The adjournment of senate’s plenary to July 21, 2015 was meant to give the senate ad hoc committees on legislative agenda and review of the senate’s finances time to conclude their work and submit their reports,” the statement read.

“The two committees were given one week to submit their reports. However, the senate assured that it will reconvene at any time before the adjourned date to consider any matter of urgent national importance or to attend to any national assignment requiring its attention.”

Saraki urged the committees to carry out thorough fiscal examination on the senate finances with the aim of coming up with the best cost-effective regime in the 8th senate.

He said the committees would look at the best strategies to align with the current administration’s efforts to ensure reduction in cost of governance.

“The 8th senate under our watch recognises the concerns raised by Nigerians about the cost of running office, most especially with the economic challenges facing our nation,” he said.

“The senate will be more transparent regarding all public funds spent for the purpose of paying salaries and allowances of legislators, and ensure that distinction is sufficiently made between what a legislator actually earns and what was being spent to run and implement legislative business and committee activities.”

He commended the clerk of the national assembly, national assembly management and senators who worked to ensure the smooth delivery of the event.

The committee on review of the finances of the senate comprises 10 members and it is chaired by James Manager (PDP, Delta), while the legislative agenda committee has 18 members and led by Ali Ndume (APC, Borno), who emerged senate leader earlier in the day.