REPS REJECT CONTROL OF OUR WATER WAYS BILL DESIGNED TO GIVE OUR LAND TO STRANGERS FROM MALI

The House was thrown into a turmoil on Tuesday, while considering a Matter of Privilege, raised by Rep. Benjamin Mzondu(PDP-Benue) to be heard on the contentious National Water Resources Bill, 2020. Mzondu’s motion sought the withdrawal of the Bill, owing to the public outcry against it and its breach of House’ Rules. In presenting his Matter of Privilege, Rep. 

Mzondu cited Order 6, Rule 1(1), 2 and 3, as he argued forcefully, against the transmission of the Bill to the Senate and its finally becoming law. According to him, “I wish to refer to Order 6, Rule 1(1), 2 and 3 and Order 12, Rule 18 to state that I was deprived of my legislative Privilege of sighting a gazetted copy of the National Water Resources BillHB 921, and such could not participate in the consideration of the report by the Committee of the Whole, which also deprived me of my rights and privilege of representation to my people.

“Fundamental issues have been raised by Hon. Mzondu. He has backed them up, with a clear language, that such bills, must be re-gazetted”, Gbajabiamila said. While the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Idris Wase who argued against Mzondu’s position, stressed that the Bill followed due process in its passage. Wase’s argument was buttressed by the sponsor of the Bill, Rep. Sada Soli(APC-Katsina), and the Chairman of the Rules and Business Committee, Rep.Hassan Fulata(APC-Jigawa). Lawmakers, led by Rep. Kingsley Chinda(PDP-Rivers), however, put up a strong defense for Mzondu’s submission, leading to the decision of the Speaker to Order for the withdrawal of the Bill, for a fresh gazetting.

Recall that the same Bill which was earlier introduced as Executive Bill was killed in the Senate, but passed in the House. The instrument, however, couldn’t be retransmitted to the Senate for Senate’s concurrence before the 8th Assembly lapsed.


Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/09/reps-in-shouting-match-as-speaker-withdraws-national-water-resources-bill/