The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has issued a Proclamation for the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly, on June 11, 2019.
The proclamation is in line with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides that the president will have to issue a proclamation before the Senate and the House of Representatives hold their first session.
President Buhari in a letter entitled: “Proclamation for the Holding of the first Session of the 9th National Assembly” and dated 30th May, 2019, read, “ Whereas it is provided in Section 64(3) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (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.”
Though the letter was written in the letterhead paper of President Buhari, it was not addressed to anyone in the National Assembly.
Under normal circumstance, the letter ought to be addressed to the Clerk to the National Assembly, CNA, Mohammed Sani- Omolori.
According to the Standing Orders of the Senate, during the first sitting of a new Senate, pursuant to the Proclamation of the first sitting of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senators-elect shall assemble at the time and place so appointed and the business of the day would be to elect the two presiding officers, the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President.
Recall that at the moment, the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, APC, Yobe North and former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South are the serious contenders, just as Lawan has been endorsed by the leadership of the party Ndume on his part has vowed to contest for the position on the floor of the Senate.
Though the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje APC, Gombe Central is being rumoured as being interested for the position, but he has not made any public statement to that effect.
For the Position of Deputy Senate President, the present Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena, APC, Edo North is contesting for the position.
Also vying for the position are Senator Ovie Omo- Agege, APC, Delta Central, Senator Kabiru Gaya, APC, Kano South and Senator Uzor Orji Kalu, APC, Abia North.
