There was rancour in the Senate yesterday when some senators from the North rejected access granted to the Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zaccheus Adedeji, and others into the chamber to make clarifications on the four Tax Reform Bills.
The Deputy Senate President (DSP), Jibrin Barau, presided over the plenary when the controversial issue surfaced for clarifications by the presidential team, despite not being captured on the day’s Order Paper.
Trouble started when the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, invoked Order 12(1), suspending the Senate Rules to allow the Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue and other tax experts to come into the chamber and provide clarifications on the Tax Reform Bills. The Senate Leader’s submission was supported by Senator Jibrin Barau, who then gave approval for the visitors to be allowed into the chamber by the Sergeant-AtArms.
However, a former Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi, immediately raised objection to the move, citing Order 12 of the Senate Standing Orders, saying that there was no provision to allow non-senators to enter the chamber while the session is on.
But Deputy Senate President Barau ruled Ningi out of order, stating that the experts were invited to allow for open discussion on the matter, which he described as very important national issue. Not satisfied with the decision of the presiding officer, as soon as Ningi took his seat, another loud voice was heard shouting “point of order!”
It was the voice of a former Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume. Ndume, who was visibly angry and raging, said that it was an aberration to have strangers in the Senate chamber without a provision in the Order Paper for that purpose.
The situation degenerated to intense altercation between Ndume and Barau: While the DSP was trying to calm Ndume down, the latter refused to be persuaded, making the chamber very rowdy and virtually uncontrollable.
Consequently, the business of the Senate was brought to a halt, as Ndume was further angered by Barau’s statement that the Senate was not in session for rhetoric but for facts.
The use of the word rhetoric by Barau provoked Ndume to rage, as he raised another point of order, drawing the attention of his colleagues to the use of what he considered as un-parliamentary words.
Again, DSP ruled Ndume out of order, insisting that the word was used in general sense and not directed at Ndume as an individual. “This is a very important matter.
We should not in any way try to use the position of the Senate because the Order Paper is clear. I have no problem having them to come to explain whatsoever but we must follow known procedures.
“That is if today that has to be taken, then there must a supplementary Order Paper that will reflect this. It is not a matter that you will just come and tell us after we are doing business of the day,” Ndume insisted, adding: “Mr President, you can have your way; but I will have my say.
You can use your gavel, and I will use my voice. Tax Reform Bill is very sensitive; our people have been dominated by this matter. When you say, it is a matter of urgent national importance, yes, but even those matters are normally referred to another legislative day if they are so inconvenient.
“Please, I beg you in the name of God, this matter is very important to not only us, but Nigerians that we represent; and we swore by the Bible and Holy Quran that we will represent the interest of the people.
Nigerians have spoken, the governors, the National Economic Council.” Reacting, Barau insisted that whatever the Senate was doing was within its rules, saying: “You have made your point.
Now we are not here for rhetoric! We are here for facts,” stressing: “I refer you to Order 1B, which reads as follows: ‘In all cases, not provided for in this standing order or by session or other orders or practice of the Senate, the Senate shall by resolution regulate its procedure.’
This is what we have just done. This is a resolution that was just passed. You need them to have known what we have done. I, therefore, will rule you out of order.
