There were indications weekend, that the planned review of allocation of offices to senators in the new N26 billion ultra-modern building may spark off a row, as some senators have vowed to resist the move to relocate them to the old building.
THISDAY gathered yesterday that the Senate leadership last Wednesday, in a closed session, intimated senators of its plan to revisit the allocation, to enable it follow fresh criteria put together for a fair and equitable distribution of the offices.
Besides, the Senate leadership had also announced its intention to alter the current sitting arrangement, in response to complaint by Senator Sahabi Yau that he is alone on the back row, far away from the rest of his colleagues.
THISDAY learnt that the suggestion by the Senate President, Senator David Mark, was rejected by members who told him that they were not school children that should be tossed round.
Some members were said to have reasoned that if the sitting arrangememnts alteration was for the purpose of addressing Yau’s complaint, he should have gone ahead to address the problem in such a way that it would not result in complete alteration.
However, a Senator who spoke to our reporter in confidence said the move to alter the sitting arrangement was to ensure that some axis where there is a concentration of members perceived to be anti-Senate leadership is decongested.
Mark was said to be uncomfortable with the way spontaneous opposition was raised against nomination of Mr Olabode Agusto on the floor, despite spirited attempts by it (leadership) to ensure his clearance by the Senate.He had put the question three times and the overwhelming “nay” response had begun from the middle of the middle rows.
It was not clear at the weekend whether or not the Senate leadership would go ahead with the sitting re-arrangement.
Meanwhile, in respect of the office allocation, offices in the new building have been allocated in accordance with the criteria by the Senate Services Committee.
There are 109 Senators in all, including the Senate President, and other principal officers.
Senator Effiong Bob, Senate Services Committee, which is saddled with the responsibility of welfare of members, allocated the offices to eighty-four Senators including 10 principal officers and eight members of the Committee.
Twenty-five Senators were left in the old building, which offices are not up to the very high standard of the new building in terms of design, configuration and aesthetics.
But the old offices, as confirmed by Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Ayogu Eze, were being re-standardized along the design of the new building.
From Sufuyan Ojeifo in Abuja
This Day
Monday, September 10, 2007
