Senate Fails To Form Quorum, Adjourns For One Week

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday adjourned for one week over its inability to form a quorum of the number of senators required to hold plenary.

The Senators had assembled to hold today’s plenary but were forced to adjourn due to low turn out of lawmakers. Some absent senators were said to be engaged in oversight functions.

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The motion to adjourn plenary was moved by Senator Philip Aduda, who noted that, “We are less than 10, Mr President,” adding that, “I want to move that since we have not (formed) quorum, we may therefore adjourn but in doing so I want to say that the senate is empty because various committees are carrying out oversight duties, they are all over the country, ensuring that the budget is performing.

He said, “On that note the senate may wish to extend the period of oversight functions if the senate so wish by another week till Tuesday November 20.”

Aduda’s motion was seconded by Deputy Senate President, Dr Ike Ekweremadu.

Ekweremadu said, “I rise to second the motion ably moved by senator Aduda but let me add that we are more than 10 but certainly not up to 38. We are somewhere between 15 and 20. Just for the record we are not less than 10 but less than 20.”

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For the Senate to carry out legislative activities, it would require at least 38 senators to be on seat.

Speaking after the senators voted in support of the motion, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, said: “It is important that our members who are not here- we should communicate to them- those on oversight, to finish what they have during the week – in the area of oversight. Some of the findings from the oversight are important and it is important that the exercise is done diligently and we should ensure that it is completed by the end of this week. That is in line with order 10 (3).”

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