Reps reject president’s BillReps reject president’s Bill

The frosty relationship between members of the House of Representatives and the Executive reared its head yesterday as the lawmakers rejected a bill by President Goodluck Jonathan seeking to amend the Public Procurement Act.

Early at yesterday’s session, House Speaker Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal read out the bill, the first for the day, presented for first reading. No sooner had the Speaker spoken than Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN, Lagos) objected, citing constitutional issues.

Gbajabiamala drew the attention of his colleagues to what he alleged was the President’s refusal to set up the National Council on Public Procurement as stipulated by law.

“He (President Jonathan) has refused to obey the law. Why is he bringing another amendment?”, Gbajabiamila quizzed. Attempts by Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta) to stop the ACN lawmaker in his tracks using certain House rules were unsuccessful. “We are now at fist reading and issues on the merits and demerits of the bill cannot be introduced now”, Ogor had stated..

Ogor’s submission apparently did not go down well with his colleagues, and they expressed such with chants of “No! No!” Gauging the mood of the House, Speaker Tambuwal promptly intervened by ruling his Deputy Leader  out of order. He directed the standing committees on Rules and Business and Justice to examine the points raised by Hon. Gbajabiamala and present a report on it to the House today.