Yemi Adaramodu, senate spokesperson and senator representing Ekiti south, says members of the national assembly must obey laws guiding its operations.
Adaramodu, a former journalist, spoke on Wednesday at a
one-day capacity-building workshop for members of the senate press corps.
He urged the press corps members to educate Nigerians on the
senate standing rules to avoid misconceptions over disciplinary actions taken
against lawmakers during plenary sessions.
The lawmaker explained that section 6 (1) of the senate
standing rules empowers the senate president to allocate and reallocate seats
to senators whenever necessary.
Adaramodu cited the crisis involving Natasha
Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, in February, as an example
of how disregard for rules can create avoidable disputes.
Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio had a
heated exchange over a change in seating arrangements.
She has since been suspended by the senate.
“Journalists, like lawmakers, are supposed to have the
knowledge of the standard rules together so that when somebody fails to observe
the rules either in the senate or house of representatives, you let the public
know in your reports,” Adaramodu said.
“If you are supposed to sit on seat number 10 and you go and
sit on seat number 13, you will not be recognised by the president. If the
affected person insists that he or she must be recognised, ‘katakata’ will
surely come up.”
He stressed that seat allocations are not permanent and may
be changed by the senate president in line with rule 6 (1).
“The national assembly is not a banana republic where there are no laws. Our laws must be obeyed by us and understood by Nigerians, who are to be educated on them by those of you covering the senate,” he said.
“Parliamentary reporters like those of you covering the
senate are expected to be educated and knowledgeable like lawmakers themselves
and even more knowledgeable.”
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