N/Assembly to extend break till next week

The National Assembly may not resume from their 6-week annual recess tomorrow amidst expectation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s submission of the list of his ministerial nominees.

The two chambers had on August 20 embarked on the annual recess, the fourth time since their inauguration on June 9.
Daily Trust learnt that the lawmakers from both chambers may not reconvene tomorrow, as earlier scheduled and would extend the recess up until 8 October, to accommodate the Independence Day celebration on Thursday.
A National Assembly staff told Daily Trust that due to the independence anniversary, a week has been added on the on-going recess so as not to break the legislative work soon after resumption.
Sources in the assembly said despite the independence celebration, the assembly would hardly reconvene as earlier scheduled, because majority of the lawmakers are in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.
“Although the independence anniversary celebration is coming up this week, the National Assembly could not have resumed this Tuesday because most of the lawmakers are still in Hajj. For instance, Senate leader, Ali Ndume, led senators who went to Hajj. How do you expect the senate to resume without the leader,” a staff under condition of anonymity said.
However, effort to get confirmation from the House of Representatives spokesperson, Rep Sani Zorro was unsuccessful as neither call nor text message to his phone yesterday was answered.
Spokesperson of the speaker, Turaki Hassan could not also be reached for confirmation.
Top on the agenda of the House upon resumption would be the release of membership of committees constituted by the selection committee, headed by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
Under the rules of the House, standing committees ought to have been formed within 30 days of the inauguration, but incessant breaks necessitated by leadership scuffles in the House delayed the formation.