Senate resumes, urges action on economic, security challenges

By John Akubo and Sodiq Omolaoye, Abuja

25 September 2024 | 4:00 am

At the resumption of plenary, yesterday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for immediate and decisive action to address worsening economic conditions and rising insecurity.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Solomon Adeola (left); Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, on the resumption of the Senate at National Assembly Complex, Abuja…yesterday.

Reps adjourns plenary to honour Ifeanyi Ubah
At the resumption of plenary, yesterday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for immediate and decisive action to address worsening economic conditions and rising insecurity.

The resumption came at a critical moment as Nigerians continue to grapple with security challenges and the effects of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, with many looking to the Senate for leadership and solutions.

This moved the Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), to urge Tinubu to quickly intervene as the economic hardship in the country reached a critical stage.

But the House of Representatives adjourned plenary till today in honour of the late Ifeanyi Ubah, who represented Anambra South in the Senate until his demise on July 27, 2024.

Ubah, the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil, died in a hotel in London, the United Kingdom, at 52. He would have been 53 on September 3, 2024.

The House resolution followed the adoption of a motion for adjournment moved by the majority leader, Julius Ihonvbere, and seconded by the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda.

Chinda said the adjournment was in line with the tradition and culture of the National Assembly to pay last respect to colleagues who passed on.

Until his death, Ubah was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream). In March, he was appointed Chairman of the Senate adhoc committee to investigate the turnaround maintenance of the country’s refineries.

In the Senate, Akpabio delivered a passionate welcome address to mark the end of the two-month recess emphasising the red chamber’s responsibility to navigate the country through the difficult times.

Akpabio acknowledged the growing hardship faced by Nigerians due to inflation and increasing security threats.

“The economic pressures are testing the very fabric of our society. We are deeply empathetic to the struggles our people are facing,” he said, stressing that it was the duty of lawmakers to respond with compassion and urgency.

While commending Tinubu’s administration for its strides in agriculture and infrastructure, Akpabio noted that the gains must not overshadow the immediate need to restore security and alleviate the economic burden on citizens.

He pledged the Senate’s support in terms of legislative measures that would provide long-term solutions.

Calling for stronger collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government, the senate president noted that working together would ensure that the benefits of good governance reached all Nigerians.

Kalu, while fielding questions from newsmen, indicated that the suffering in the country hit all Nigerians regardless of social status, including himself, forcing them to take painful austerity measures to survive.

The former Abia State governor noted that urgent measures were needed to ease the pains of Nigerians.

He commended some of the policy measures by Tinubu to tackle the challenges.

On last Saturday’s Edo State Gubernatorial election, in which the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the former Senate Chief Whip said, “Members of APC National Working Committee (NWC) and senators worked so hard for Edo and I believe that whoever works hard for the election deserves to win.

“The election is about numbers, when you have the numbers on the ground, you win. INEC has declared the winner and they deserve the win.”