A pro-democracy group on the platform of the National Political Movement of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth (NPMONY) has revealed plan to honour Senate President Ahmed Lawan for his ‘excellent performance’ as the chairman of the National Assembly in the outgoing 9th Assembly.
The group also said it is focused on mobilising Nigerian youths on making better choices amongst those aspiring for the Senate Presidency position in the 2023, singled out Senator Lawan for bringing unity to the National Assembly.
Addressing a press conference, Tuesday in Abuja, Chairman of the Igbo group, Hon. Onwe Christian Goodluck, said the group will do everything possible towards enlightening the electorate on participation and need to rally support for the right candidate to steer the affairs of the 10th Assembly successfully.
Goodluck said: “The group focused on mobilising Nigerian youths on making better choices amongst those aspiring for the Senate Presidency position in the 2023 where we arrange to bestow a magnificent unity award on Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan very soon.
“The award ceremony will hold at Transcorp Hotel in Abuja on Saturday 29th of April, 2023.
“The event will be attended by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, his counterpart in Kogi, Yahaya bello of Kogi and the senator representing Adamawa North, Elisha Abbo among other senators-elect.
“There will also be various youth groups drawn from the 36 states of the federation in attendance.
“We are motivated to choose Senator Lawan who is representing Yobe North, for the prestigious award because of his track records at the Senate in his first term as Senate President, coupled with the number of infrastructural projects, bills and motions he had facilitated and initiated for his constituency.
“The 9th Assembly under Lawan has witnessed rancor free sessions, peaceful coexistence, unity and development that has benefited Nigerians. This no doubt remains one of the biggest achievements of the 9th Senate and the entire National Assembly in 2019. Delays in passage of national budget had been a major failure for previous assemblies as it usually takes not less than three or four months to pass it.
“This was not different in the 8th Senate. In 2016, President Buhari presented the budget on December 22, but it was not passed until March 23, 2017. The 2018 budget was presented on December 14, 2017, and passed on March 11 of the next year. The 2019 budget was passed on April 30 after it was first presented to the National Assembly in December 19, 2018. The National Assembly had blamed delayed budget passage on late presentation, failure of MDAs to appear before committees, oversight functions, among others.
“But this time, the 2020 budget was presented on October 8 and passed on December 8. This time also, all MDAs were present to defend their budgets – this is not unrelated to the president’s instruction asking representatives of MDAs to remain in the country until after their budget defence.
“Additionally, the 9th Senate relationship with the executive arm has led to ‘Prompt’ attention to crucial bills, as well as speedy passage of bills that are deemed important.”