Nigeria Content Online

After a vacation
that has defined their political future in varied ways, federal
lawmakers are resuming sitting today hoping to shelf discussions about
the sweeping primaries that denied more than half of the 469 members
party tickets.

With almost 60 of
the 109 senators and more than 200 of the 360 representatives almost
sure not to run in April, the outcome of the parties’ polls, many of
which are already contentious, is expected to inevitably feature as the
legislators resume session.

But Senators and
members of the House of Representatives will rather busy themselves with
pressing national issues, official position from both chambers say,
although they could be adjusted by urgent House rules.”Top on the agenda
of the senate business will be the 2011 appropriation bill which the
committees could not treat because of party primaries and other
political activities including the voters registration,” Chairman,
Senate Committee on Media, Ayogu Eze, told NEXT yesterday.

Mr Eze added that
the senate will also be dealing with the anti-terrorism bill which has
missed international set deadlines and two reminders from President
Goodluck Jonathan last year.Surprisingly, the age-long Freedom of
Information bill will be tabled during the week, he said, adding also
that the senate may likely inquire into the ongoing voter registration
exercise “to ascertain the progress of the exercise.”

At the House of
Representatives similarly, Ita Enang, the Chairman House Committee on
Business issued a notice paper that pointed at no politically-based
legislation or motion. The House is to consider bills on the
entitlements of certain judicial staffers,and a few public petitions
during the week.The House will also is considering pushing the FOI bill
together with the senate, and Mr Enang he was optimistic the chamber
will “do justice” to the legislation that has been rejected by the
lawmakers severally.

But inevitably, the
outcome of the primaries is expected to play a significant role in
directing the lawmakers’ deliberations after some of their most notable
members fell to the most sweeping party nomination since 1999.Amongst
such at the senate are Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, at the center of a
murder controversy, two-term members, Effiong Bob, Ewa Henshaw and at
the House, Patrick Obahiagbon.

The senate
spokesperson, Mr Eze, himself a victim of the just concluded primaries,
avoided other inquiries from NEXT on the projected political mood of the
senate as they resume and in particular, a question regarding a planned
move against the leadership over the outcome of the nominations.