Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy President of the 8th Senate, is a good man. I know some folks will question this. Again, it depends on the side of the divide you belong.

If you are from the South East, you will likely see Ekweremadu as a hero. If you a diehard supporter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), again, you will rever him. Those who are in the second category, see him as the voice of the opposition. You may want to argue that Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose and a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, are the voices of opposition. I will not delve into that argument. You be the judge.

For my friends who will die and sink with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ekweremadu is a villain. After all, he ‘stole’ their coveted seat and played a fast one on them, when he emerged the Deputy President of the Senate, despite being a member of the opposition.

Away from that, Ekweremadu is also a dominant voice in the Senate. He is the longest serving Deputy President of the Senate. We may not have another anytime soon. His contributions on the floor of the Senate are undoubtedly, deep and worthy of note. These are facts.  That said, I need to face the business of the today. I needed to establish some things and disabuse your mind that I have nothing personal against Ekweremadu. Even if I chose to hate him, it will not matter. He does not know whether I exist or not. 

Ekweremadu was elected as Deputy President of the Senate in 2007. He served as David Mark’s deputy for eight years. During the period, Ekweremadu headed the Constitution Review Committee of the National Assembly.

When he played a fast one on APC in 2015, to emerge as Deputy President of the Senate, he again assumed his hereditary position as the chairman of National Assembly Constitution Review Committee. 

As soon as his committee was inaugurated by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki in December 2015, another jamboree started. The periodic ritual, which in my view is a waste of taxpayers’ money, gained momentum last year, when over 50 senators gathered at the prestigious Eko Hotel and Suites for a four-day retreat.

Every four years, since 2007, about N30 billion has been spent on constitution review jamboree. Interestingly, Ekweremadu has been the boss of the committee since then. It means he has presided over the expenditure of about N30 billion. Nigerians, I urge you to ask the right questions. Ask members of the Constitution Review Committee, if anything has been achieved since 2007. 

Remember, N30 billion is not N30 million. In 1999, some state governors could not pass budgets of N30 billion and that is what has been wastefully spent by Ekweremadu-led committee on review of the 1999 constitution since 2007.  Imagine if the Federal Government releases N30 billion to address flooding problem in the South East or cater for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Boko Haram ravaged North East, the impacts will be appreciated and obvious. Instead, few lawmakers spend the money on jamborees, which have not yielded anything. If you are not worried, Fred Itua is perturbed.

After spending billions, the outcome of the last exercise, ended up in the waste bin. Former president Goodluck Jonathan, declined to assent to the amendments. According to Jonathan, the amendments did not satisfy the strict requirements of Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

Jonathan also queried the decision of the National Assembly to whittle down some Executive powers of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He also faulted some amendments, which will give executive powers and duties to the Legislature and the Judiciary. Jonathan made his position known in a seven-page letter to former Senate president David Mark and former House of Representatives speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

The 12 errors listed by Jonathan in the amendments are as follows:

•Non-compliance with the threshold specified in Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution on amendments;

•Alteration to constitution cannot be valid with mere voice votes unless supported by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority all members of National Assembly and two-thirds of all the 36 State Houses of Assembly;

•Right to free basic education and primary and maternal care services imposed on private institutions

•Flagrant violation of the doctrine of separation of powers,

•Unjustified whittling down of the Executive powers of the Federation vested in the President by virtue of Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution;

•30 days allowed for assent of the President; and

•Limiting expenditure in default of appropriation from 6 months to three months

•Creation of the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation distinct from the Accountant General of the Federal Government

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•Empowering National Economic Council to appoint the Accountant-General of the Federation instead of the President;

•Allowing NJC to now appoint the Attorney General of the Federation rather than the President;

•Unwittingly whittling down the discretionary powers of the Attorney General of the Federation.

Jonathan said he had no choice than to veto the amendments to the constitution as forwarded to him by the National Assembly.

He had said: “In view of the foregoing and absence of credible evidence that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fourth Alteration) Act 2015 satisfied the strict requirements of Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution, it will be unconstitutional for me to assent to it.

“I therefore withhold my assent and accordingly remit Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fourth Alteration) Act 2015 to the Senate/House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”  Let me stop there and address some salient issues. Ekweremadu’s committee is obviously more concerned with what it deems more important…the future of 469 lawmakers. The welfare of 170m Nigerians is immaterial. For them, any other thing can wait.  Ekweremadu, had last year, during the retreat in Lagos, put up a spirited fight in defending his position on why presiding officers of the national and state houses of assembly, should enjoy pension benefits when they leave office. 

When he coordinated the consideration of the report, Ekweremadu said: “This has nothing to do with an individual. It is about the institution. Let us not politicize it. Nobody elected the Chief Justice of Nigeria, but he enjoys pension. But if we cheapen our own institution, so be it. Let us not make this a personal thing.”

Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe was ruthless in his response to Ekweremadu backdoor plans to provide life pensions for presiding officers. In his contribution, Abaribe had said: “If there must be pension for principal officers, it should cut across the board. We were all elected from our various constituencies. I think we should not milk the nation dry. We should put selfish interests aside and put that of the nation first.”

Wife of former Lagos State governor and Senator representing Lagos Central, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, joined Abaribe. She hammered: “I think principal officers have had enough. I know some senators that have served and they sometimes come back to ask us for help. Principal officers drive fleet of cars and they have other entitlements. They should not earn extra money when they leave office.

“In the last assembly, we in the minority tried to raise our voice against it. You are first, second and third among equals. Some of us do not even have cars, but principal officers have so many. I think we should drop that idea.”

“The case of the state governors and their deputies is different. The public elected them. But we elected our principal officers. To me, I believe that the benefits of the office of the Senate President and other principal officers is too much. They are just one among equals

“I am against any excessive privileges given to the Senate president or the speaker. All of us were elected. If we are doing anything, it should be for all members of the National Assembly,” former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume also responded.

Senate Minority Leader and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio was not left out. He noted: “If you ask me to vote to have life pensions as principal officers, I will say yes. The governor of a state and the president cannot stay in office for more than two terms. But for a senator, he can stay in office for 35 years.”

To the glory of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, Ekweremadu-led committee’s plan to provide life pensions for presiding officers met its waterloo last week, when lawmakers voted vehemently against it. For me, this is victory for democracy.

I am familiar with the workings of the National Assembly and I understand how things play out. Constitution review exercise is a job for the boys. You need to visit venues where these exercises are conducted. You will weep for Nigeria. If you have your superior facts, you can argue otherwise.

Since no arm of government is empowered by law to probe the National Assembly, Nigerians should take up this task. Ask the right questions and stop these jamborees. When they are serious, we will know. For now, it’s a job for the boys and I stand by this claim. No apologies.

One more thing…

This week, senators will embark on their annual leave. Tentatively, the break will last for at least six weeks. During the period, lawmakers who are financially buoyant will abandon their fatherland and travel abroad to savour the goodies provided by serious-minded leaders. When they embark on their leave, the National Assembly will likely be deserted. Trust me, our darling lawmakers will however remain in Abuja.

If you intend to catch a glimpse of your performing senators in the village during this break, sorry to break your heart. They will remain gallant in Abuja. You expect them to spend their meager salaries and allowances abi? Tufiakwa. That is wickedness. They will remain here. Even if they decide to stop by, they will sneak in like Nicodemus in the night. I dey beg, go about your business so you will not be disappointed my friends.

Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies should be on the alert. Open your vaults and expect our hard working senators. Oversight is one of their constitutional responsibilities and this role will be effectively carried by our lawmakers while they are on break. 

Distinguished senators, happy holidays!