(http://peoplesdailyng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Ita-Enang-300x187.jpg) (http://peoplesdailyng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Ita-Enang.jpg)By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Itah Enang, yesterday disclosed that the Senate has passed a total of 17 bills in the last session, even as he failed to disclose whether or not the passed Bills have been assented to by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Briefing journalists yesterday in Abuja, Enang said the Senate only has knowledge of the number of bills it has passed, but could not say the number which the executive has signed.
He also disclosed that a total number of one hundred and sixty bills have been introduced on the Senate floor, including sixteen executive bills, adding that they are at various stages of legislative processes.
"Between June 6th and now, the Red Chamber has received a total number of 24 petitions bordering on wrongful termination of appointments and were referred to its committee on ethic, privilege and petition for further legislative action", he said.
The lawmaker who noted that the state of the Nation address Bill is still pending on the table of the President for assent, also said the Senate is yet to receive a letter from Jonathan on the alleged reversal of his decision to rename University of Lagos Moshood as Abiola University.
In a related development, the lawmaker insisted that the conference committee report adopted by both chambers still stands, arguing that the House of Representatives cannot alter the resolution of both chambers independently.
He explained that if any change is to come on the joint resolution of the Conference Committee set up by both Chambers, each chamber must be carried along.
Reacting to the reported resolution of the House which barred Jonathan from accessing the funds of the three states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa, where state of emergency was declared, Enang said, "the Senate and the House passed resolutions on the state of emergency and approved the request of Mr. President as contained on the proclamation of state of emergency.
"There were differences between what the House passed and what the Senate passed. both houses set up committees and the conference committee arrived at a harmonized position.
"This harmonized position was adopted by the house as a result of the conference committee and adopted by the Senate as a result of its own conference committee. Now that is as much as I know, the position on the matter as coming from the National Assembly as yet.
"Yes, I am informed that there were considerations by the House of some aspects of it."
"I am not yet aware of a communication of that to the Senate. that is it has not yet come to the floor of the Senate. therefore, the position that exists now is as agreed and communicated.
"When we receive and it is communicated, we will consider what the other chamber considered.
"Assembly is what is accepted by both chambers.
"The House of Representatives to my knowledge, did not amend the content of its resolution. It adopted the reported of that conference committee and sent it out, but some later date, I wish I am correct, it brought an amendment to it, to which it is entitled to.
"That is different from what has been passed, they are not recalling what they had passed.
"They are amending or seeking to amend what has been passed, but what has been passed has gone out."
"This is fresh initiative.
"The house is within its powers to initiate any measure, that measure becomes effective when it is agreed to in content and one document by the Senate as far as the law is concerned, status on the instrument of the state of emergency is as contained in the harmonized version of the conference report between the house and the Senate.
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