Reps reject moves to stop deployment of soldiers at polls

•Senate to receive 2015 budget, okays Health bill

A desperate attempt aimed at causing the House of Representatives to rescind an earlier decision to give the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) a role in the deployment of troops during elections has failed as protesting members of the opposition unanimously voted against the motion.

Meanwhile, the Senate reconvened from its two-week Sallah break yesterday and is ready to receive the 2015 Appropriation Bill.

The Senate also received and adopted report of the conference committee on the National Health Bill 2014. The Bill which was sponsored by Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta North, was committed to the joint Committee on Health shortly before it embarked on break.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu disclosed this during his welcome remarks.

The House of Representatives on 30 September, 2014 during plenary gave the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the express powers to “request” for deployment of soldiers during elections in the country.

This came when the Chamber amended section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act during plenary while voting on the report to amend the Electoral Act.

However, Deputy Leader, Leo Ogor and other members made spirited attempts to delete the amendment of Section 29, Clause 8 of the Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 which confers the power on INEC.

But majority of members had while considering the proposed amendments voted in support of the clause empowering INEC to request for the deployment of troops, only when it considered same necessary during elections.

The amendment had read: “Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law and for purposes of securing the vote, INEC shall be responsible for requesting for the deployment of relevant security personnel necessary for elections or registration of voters and shall assign them in the manner determined by the Commission in consultation with the relevant security agencies.

“Provided that the Commission shall only request for the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces only for the purpose of securing the distribution and delivery of election materials and protection of election officials.”

However, the Deputy Majority Leader, Ogor while relying on Order 9, Rule 57(6) of the Standing Orders of the House, in a motion yesterday requesting that the earlier decision be rescinded argued that by the provision of section 28(1) of the 1999 Constitution ( as amended), only the President has the power “to determine the operational use of the country’s armed forces, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.”

According to him, the decision to retain the amendment contravened the Constitution as it relates to exclusive powers of the President on the operational use of the armed forces, adding that section 1(3) of the Constitution stipulated that if any other law is inconsistent with the Constitution, the Constitution shall prevail and that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.

His move was earlier countered amidst protest of “no” repeatedly by the Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila who raised a point of order, and cited Order 8(50 and 51) and 9(57, sub 6), on which he predicated his argument that Ogor’s motion did not meet the conditions under which a decision of the House could be rescinded.

Gbajabiamila was however, ruled out of order by Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who said the earlier cited order did not apply, while the conditions set out at the later were substantially met by Ogor, and subsequently yielded the floor to Ogor to conclude.