By Henry Umoru

ABUJA- FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark has urged the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio not to allow powerful politicians to take control of State Judiciary and local governments.

The leader of the Southern and Middlebelt Leaders Forum, SMBLF Chief Edwin Clark who cautioned Akpabio against a group of powerful politicians that has been regrouping for the aforementioned purpose, said that he should endeavour to halt the hi-jack the public debates in the various State Houses of Assembly.

In a statement addressed to Akpabio, the Elderstatesman said, “where the debates will be held having regard to the powers of the State Governors and some mischievous, ambitious and “powerful” politicians over their State Houses of Assembly.”

Clark who is the leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF said, “Mr. Senate President, the information floating around town is that this dangerous, anti-democratic group in the NASS is regrouping, and wants to control their various State judiciary and local governments.

“They want State account to be removed without debate as provided for in Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution as quoted above; this group of persons have won the congresses of their political parties in their various States, and are now waiting to take over the party structures through dubious means because it is the NASS that can amend the Constitution as provided.

“Please, this country is divided, and it is failing. This is the time for the various arms of government to perform their duties according to the law. Let us be wary of the ides of march.”

Clark who told Akpabio that it has been observed, for some time, that there exist an anti-democratic group which does not want distinguished members to follow due process, said, “It is also the reason why we have two different Bills submitted on the same subject.

“However, please permit me to bring to your attention some things that may not be handled correctly in the National Assembly, having regard to your speech in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, during the flag presentation to the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidates for the forthcoming State Local Government elections.
Mr. Senate President, I am conversant with the workings of the Senate, having been a Senator myself in the 1980s, although for a few months before a military coup toppled the civilian government. As a Senator, I served as a member of the top Senate Select Committee, the committee saddled with the responsibility of appointing committees of the Senate; this was in addition to being chair of two other Senate committees.

“It is on this basis that it has become quite worrisome to some of us observing the brazen manner in which some things are done in the Senate/National Assembly.

“I wish to bring to the fore, some of these anomalies.
The 1999 Constitution of the country states in Section 9, the ‘Mode of altering provisions of the Constitution’, it says:
The National Assembly may, subject to the provisions of this section, alter any provisions of this Constitution.
An Act of the National Assembly for the alteration of this Constitution, not being an Act to which section 8 of this Constitution, applies, shall not be passed in either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of that House and approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the States.

“An Act of the National Assembly to alter the provisions of this section, section 8 or Chapter IV of this Constitution shall not be passed by either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is approved by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority of all members of each House, and also approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the States.

“For section 8 of this Constitution and subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the number of members of each House of the National Assembly shall notwithstanding any vacancy, be deemed to be the number of members specified in sections 48 and 49 of this constitution.

“The constitution also states how Bills should be passed. But we have a situation where members of the Senate do not even see some Bills before they are passed into law. There is every need to follow laid down procedures because these procedures were not put in place for the heck of it; they no doubt, provide for an effective and democratic government. It has been observed, for sometime now, that there is a group which is anti-democratic, which do not want distinguished members to follow due process, and it is also the reason why we have two different Bills submitted on the same subject.

“This group in the 8th National Assembly intimidated, harassed and physically attacked the National Assembly (NASS) for no just cause, using the Department of State Service (DSS) officials in their combatant uniforms, to prevent members access to the complex, except die-hard members/activists like Hon. Boma Goodhead who were ready to sacrifice their lives at ensuring that the right things were done. This action by the DSS, led to the sacking of its then Director General (DG), Lawal Musa Daura, by Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbanjo, acting as President. Lawal was replaced with Matthew Seiyefa, a professional, who had just a year to go on retirement. This laudable action was, however, abominable to President Buhari, who when he returned to the country, removed Seiyefa from office. He appointed Yusuf Bichi Magaji from Kano State, because he felt that such a sensitive office should not be occupied by someone from the Niger Delta.

“Mr. Senate President, the information floating around town is that this dangerous, anti-democratic group in the NASS is regrouping, and wants to control their various State judiciary and local governments. They want State account to be removed without debate as provided for in Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution as quoted above; this group of persons have won the congresses of their political parties in their various States, and are now waiting to take over the party structures through dubious means because it is the NASS that can amend the Constitution as provided.
Please this country is divided, and it is failing. This is the time for the various arms of government to perform their duties according to the law. Let us be wary of the ides of march.

“The purpose of this write-up, therefore, is to kindly appeal to you not to allow this nefarious group to hi-jack the public debates in the various State Houses of Assembly, where the debates will be held having regard to the powers of the State Governors and some mischievous, ambitious and “powerful” politicians over their State Houses of Assembly.

“Everyone, in this country, is under strict compulsion to obey the Constitution. I repeat here, Section 1 (1) which says: his Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This includes the Supreme Court (Judiciary) the President (Executive) and the National Assembly (Legislature).
Thank you and God bless.

The elder statesman stressed that everyone, in this country, is under strict compulsion to obey the Constitution.

“I repeat here, Section 1 (1) which says: This Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This includes the Supreme Court (Judiciary) the President (Executive) and the National Assembly (Legislature).”

Recall that Akpabio, had said that the Senate will tinker with the constitution in order allow for the implementation of the supreme Court Judgement on local government autonomy.

Akpabio stated this in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Capital when he received members of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the State, who were loyal to the erstwhile Interim National Secretary of the party, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.

The President of the Senate had said, “I thank President Bola Tinubu, for looking for a way to bring the all needed autonomy to the local governments through the intervention of the Supreme Court. The Senate, under my leadership, will tinker with the constitution to ensure that the judgment is fully implemented without any loopholes for manipulation by the practitioners.”