With voice vote, senate passes 46 bills in 10mins

The outgoing seventh senate surprisingly passed 46 bills into law in approximately 10 minutes on Wednesday.

Ita Enag, chairman, senate committee on rules and business, presented the bills, which created uproar among the lawmakers.

David Mark, president of the senate, who called for a voice vote before passing the bills, told those who were not satisfied to raise their objections on the next legislative day, which is Thursday.

“I have ruled. If you disagree, you come back with a substantive motion tomorrow,” he said.

The assembly had earlier suspended Order 79 (1) of its standing orders, in order to make it appear that the bills had passed first, second and third readings on the floor of the senate.

The bills had earlier been passed by the house of representatives.

Some of the bills passed are office of the Nigerian financial ombudsman, 2015; Institute of Chartered Trustees of Nigeria, 2015 and People’s Bank of Nigeria act (Repeal), 2015; Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry act (Repeal), 2015; Federal Saving Bank act (Repeal), 2015; Loan (State Development) act (Repeal), 2015; Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria, 2015 and Nigerian Metallurgical Industry, 2015.

Others are federal audit commission, 2015; treasury management, 2015; Nigerian oil and gas industry content act 2010 (Amendment), 2015 and Investment, Securities (Amendment), 2015; Tertiary Education Trust Fund act 2015; Nigerian communications satellite, 2015; whistle-blower protection 2015 and the labour institutions 2015.

Meanwhile, Victor Ndoma-Egba, leader of the senate, has said that the upper chamber would consider the amendment to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) on Thursday.

A valedictory session to mark the end of the 7th Senate, would hold at the next plenary.