The Senate has said that its activities are guided by rules that must be obeyed.
Chairman, Senate Committee on media and public affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, stated this during a one-day capacity-building workshop in Abuja.
Adaramodu, while speaking on the recent controversy involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, said the upper chamber was not a banana republic.
‘The National Assembly is not a banana republic. We operate under rules that must be obeyed. It’s important that Nigerians are made to understand this, and you, the journalists covering the Senate, have a key role to play,” the senator stated.
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He asked journalists covering parliamentary activities to take up the responsibility of educating Nigerians on the standing rules, to prevent misconceptions surrounding disciplinary actions taken during plenary sessions.
Highlighting the importance of accurate and informed reporting on parliamentary procedures, Senator Adaramodu underscored that one of the key rules that the public often misunderstand is Section 6(1) of the Senate Standing Rules, which empowers the President of the Senate to allocate and reallocate seats to senators as necessary.
He explained that incidents such as the one involving Akpoti-Uduaghan often stemmed from a lack of understanding or refusal to adhere to laid-down rules.
He said, “Journalists, like lawmakers, are expected to be knowledgeable about the Senate’s standing rules. When a senator fails to observe these rules, it is your duty to inform the public accurately.
“If a senator is assigned seat number 10 and chooses to sit on seat number 13, that senator will not be recognised by the Senate President. If the person insists on being recognised, trouble will certainly ensue.”
He further noted that seat assignments were not permanent and may be adjusted at the discretion of the Senate President in line with the rules, adding that obedience to legislative procedures is critical to maintaining order and credibility in the National Assembly.