Barely 24 hours after the National Assembly failed to reconvene, the leadership have said since programmes lined up to take place before recalling lawmakers have not taken place, there was no need for reconvening.
It said, therefore, that no date has been fixed for the lawmakers to bridge their recess and return to work to consider the budget for 2019 elections or any other matter.
A statement jointly signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to Senate President and Turaki Hassan, Special Adviser (Media and Public Affairs) to Speaker, House of Representatives, said Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have informed senators, members of the House of Representatives and the public that “a date has not been set for the reconvening of the Senate and the House of Representatives to consider the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018.”
READ ALSO: APC crisis: Fresh trouble looms if NASS reconvenes
They said the National Assembly leadership had met and agreed to “reconvene to consider the proposal this week before, which a meeting between the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the INEC must have held on or before Monday August 13, 2018.”
The statement said the joint committees were also expected to meet with the “joint Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Loans and Debts on the Eurobond loan request after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.”
The media aides said “no such meeting had taken place yet as a result of which both Senate and House of Representatives cannot reconvene as there is no report to consider,” adding: “Until the committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers, it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess, especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.”