The National Assembly has announced a further delay in the resumption of its plenary sessions, now set for April 30.
This postponement is to ensure the comprehensive refurbishment of the main chambers is completed.
Originally, the Senate and House of Representatives planned to reconvene after the Easter and Eid recess on April 23.
However, a recent update on Thursday confirmed the change in schedule.
Chinedu Akubueze, the Clerk of the Senate, communicated that upon their return, legislators will gather in the newly renovated main chambers. The renovation efforts, led by Visible Construction Company Nigeria Limited, began in July 2022, prompting a temporary relocation to alternate chambers since September of the same year.
The official notice stated: “The esteemed Senators are informed that the previously scheduled plenary resumption for Tuesday, April 23, 2024, is now moved to Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 11 am. The session will convene in the Senate’s main Chamber. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this change.”
In a parallel development, the Federal Government has requested the National Assembly’s swift passage of the endangered species bill.
Echoing the Senate’s sentiments, Akin Rotimi, the House Committee on Media chairman, confirmed the House’s adjournment to the same date. This extension, as per an internal memo from the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, is to grant members additional time for community engagement, ensuring thorough contributions to the constitution review process.
The statement read, “The extension follows the earlier decision by the House Committee on Constitution Review to extend the deadline for submission of memoranda to April 30, 2024.
“Additionally, the extended timeline will allow for more concerted preparation for the legislative summits on State Police, as well as the one on Tax Reforms, Revenue Enhancement, and Digital Transformation coming up in the next two weeks.”
“All inconveniences arising from this rescheduling are regretted. In line with the Legislative Agenda of the 10th Assembly, the House remains committed to being accountable and providing timely communications to all stakeholders,” it added.
