The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Bala Ibn-Na’Allah has said that in democracy, there is no where political party can impose its decision on members of the Senate even though the party can influence its members to toe its line.
Na’Allah emphasized that the party can influence its members in the National Assembly and at the state level through the various caucuses, but not by imposition.
“I have not seen any issue here; it is just that people are trying to overheat the polity without knowing what the process is all about.”
The Deputy Senate Clark who spoke to journalists in Abuja today, stressed that it only a letter from the president of Nigeria can be read on the floor of the Senate or the House of Representatives, which was why the purported letter written by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the National Assembly was not and will not be read at plenary.
“A lot of people do not understand; as a member of the National Assembly, the moment you step into the National Assembly, you either take the Bible or the Quran; and then you subscribe to the oath of allegiance and then take your oath of office.
“The oath of office says that you will uphold, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Law and then the Rules of the Senate.
“Outside these three documents, (a) senator does not have any leverage to do anything; there is no other document outside these three.
“And then if you carefully look at the rules of the Senate, the only letters that can be read on the floor of the House should a letter from Mr. President.
“And that is the convention not only in Nigeria, but in all other parliaments all over the world”.
He stressed the need for Nigerians to understand the workings of democracy before making attributions unknown in democratic circles. [myad]
