Senate under fire for adjourning plenary over ‘killing of soldiers’

The senate has been criticised for adjourning its plenary over the alleged killing 44 soldiers in a recent attack by Boko Haram insurgents.

The Middle Belt Conscience Guards (MBCGs), while frowning at the decision of the red chamber, described it as the height of eye service.

The group said it was most unfortunate that the senate took the decision without verifying the claim.

It also decried the action of the senate coming quite late after series of plea by the federal government to approve funds for arms failed to get their nod.

The MBCGs under the leadership of Paul Itodo and Adamu Enero, recalled that the senate had persistently refused to extend legislative support and encouragement to the president in the war against Boko Haram and other insecurity challenges in the nation.

“In spite of the sensitive nature of the two matters, the Senate indulged in political games by shutting down the chambers for a meaningless long break. This is legislative brigandage,” he Itodo said.

“To now understand that the same Senate which never deemed it imperative to deliberate and approve President Buhari’s anticipatory approval of $ 496 million drawn from the Excess Crude Account for the purchase of Tucano fighter jets to battle Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria, suddenly appears very concerned that soldiers were killed by terrorists to the extent of adjourning plenary?

“We consider this action absurd; a loud display of legislative hypocrisy and blackmail of the executive arm of government. A Parliament which had inexplicable difficulties endorsing presidential anticipatory approval for the procurement of arms and ammunitions to fight insurgency has suddenly become very empathic that our soldiers died in the process of battling terrorists. Is the Senate mocking itself?

“In the past three years, the Sen. Saraki led Senate has never found it necessary to increase defence budgets in the Appropriation Act laid before the National Assembly. While they casually up figures for National Assembly expenditure; the parliamentarians rather slash down defence budgets.”