Talk To Fellow Senators More About Grievances And Less To Journalists —Nigeria’s Senate President Tells Colleagues

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has issued a strong warning to his colleagues to talk less while speaking with journalists.

He noted that Senators should rather discuss among their colleagues if they are dissatisfied with what is happening within the country or in the National Assembly, before talking to journalists.

Lawan disclosed this on Wednesday while reacting to a motion on a Point of Order by the Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege during plenary.

The Senator representing Abia South Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe had in an interview on Channels Television, alleged that senators in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) conspired to short-change oil-rich communities in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

However, the Senate President, Lawan, denied that the Senate voted along party lines with regards to the three percent equity share approved for oil-rich communities in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Groups in the South-South regions had demanded a minimum of five percent equity, if their wish for 10 percent equity could not be met.

Lawan said, “Senate, as far as I can remember never voted along party lines not even Clause 52(3) of the Electoral Act.

“We had the majority of APC voting and even two senators from the PDP voted along a line that appeared to be the one that carried the day.

“As politicians, ours is to lobby, is to engage our colleagues each time there is an issue that we feel very strongly interested in an issue that we feel can make life better for those that we represent.

“If you are not able to get what you campaigned for, there will always be another day and that is the spirit.

“I will encourage us to talk less to the press on ways that will give the press the wrong impression. We should concentrate more on talking to our colleagues.”