Confusion over President’s proclamation of ninth Senate - The Punch

Sunday Aborisade, Abuja

A document dated May 30, 2019 which announced the Presidential proclamation of the First Session of the Ninth National Assembly billed for Tuesday, June 11, created confusion at the federal parliament on Monday.

The document which had the seal of the Presidency and claimed to have been signed by President Muhammadu Buhari was not addressed to any particular official of the National Assembly.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, whose responsibility it is to convey such document to the national parliament, denied knowledge of such communication when contacted by our correspondent.

Enang simply appealed to our correspondent to suspend any action on the document pending his confirmation.

He was yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

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Attempts to confirm the authenticity of the document from the office of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, who would execute the proclamation, also failed on Monday.

The Director of Information of the federal parliament, Mr. Rawlings Agada, told our correspondent that he could not confirm the receipt of such communications since the CNA was not available for the necessary clarifications.

The document titled, “Proclamation for the holding of the 1st session of the 9th National Assembly,” read, “Whereas it is provided in Section 64(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) that the person elected as President shall have power to issue a Proclamation for the holding of the first session of the National Assembly immediately after his being sworn-in.

“Now, therefore, I Muhammadu Buhari, President Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in exercise of the powers bestowed upon me by Section 64 (3) aforesaid and of all other powers enabling me in that behalf, hereby proclaim that the first session of the Ninth (9th) National Assembly shall hold at 10:00am on Tuesday, 11th June, 2019 in the National Assembly, Abuja.

“Given under my hand and the public seal of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at Abuja, this 30th day of May, 2019. Signed Muhammadu Buhari”