Senate rejects motion seeking to discuss Buhari’s Democracy Day speech

The senate has rejected a motion seeking to discuss the Democracy Day speech of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The motion was sponsored by Istifanus Gyang, senator representing Plateau north.

While moving the motion on Thursday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator explained that he was drawing the attention of his colleagues to the speech because of the “interest it has generated.”

“Order 52 of our rules says notice shall not be dispensed in the case of a motion or in respect of any other proceeding for which notice is required except with the consent of the president of the senate and the general assent of the senate,” he said.

“The matter of urgent national importance I am bringing before this senate has to do with the Democracy Day speech of President Muhammadu Buhari on the 12th June 2019.

“This speech is already in the public domain. I am asking that in view of the interest it has generated.”

At this point, Senate President Ahmad Lawan cut him short.

Lawan said he would have to seek the leave of the senators before the matter could be entertained.

But the motion was rejected when the senate president put it to a voice vote.

During his speech on Wednesday at the Eagle Square, Buhari gave a wrong date on when he was reelected intooffice.

The president also gave wrong figures on Nigeria’s GDP growth projection for 2019.