The bill seeking the amendment of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal by the Senate has been dismissed as an exercise in futility by Senator Kabiru Marafa.
The senator representing Zamfara Central on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday described the move by some of his colleagues as dead on arrival.
The bill sponsored by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP/Delta North), tagged, “a bill for an Act to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap C15,LFN,2004; and other related matters”, passed through first and second reading in 48 hours.
In an interview, Marafa described the move to amend the Act as “a display of crass ignorance of legislative work and a waste of tax payers’ money”.
“I am not surprised at all, I cautioned Nigerians against this. You can also recall my comments on DPO, Juicy Check Points and posting and lately my call on the leadership of the Senate to respect the ranking rules (order 3 (2 i-iv)) the chickens are now coming home to roost. What happened in the Senate last week was a combination of all of the above propelled by blind naked ambition! Why most senators walked out or refused to oppose the bill(s) is hinged on two factors; [Ike] Ekweremadu presiding and many senators didn’t want to waste their time arguing none issues! All the three proposed bills fall under constitutional amendment and not act of the National Assembly”, he said.
According to the senator, an outspoken critic of the embattled Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, plans are also afoot to amend Section 308 – which deals with immunity for public office holders – of the constitution through a bill.
“The third bill is contemplating to enlarge the immunity clause. Section 308 (3) is very clear! So let no Nigerian lose sleep over this issue, it is dead on arrival, even though it’s unfortunate that an issue like this can even be listed and given accelerated hearing in the hallowed chamber presided over by a senior lawyer”, he said.
