Senate has declined to consider a motion moved by Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, calling for legislative action on several problems facing Abuja.
Gatekeepers News reports that Kingibe presented the motion under orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Rules, drawing attention to concerns over poor waste management and demolitions being carried out by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
She also listed issues such as unpaid salaries, lack of mobilisation for contractors, disputes over land allocation and reallocation, and the loss of land belonging to the University of Abuja.
However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the matters raised were different from those previously discussed with him by the senator.
He added that the motion could not be treated as one of urgent national importance, especially because it combined many issues into a single request.
Akpabio said, “She should withdraw the motion and bring a substantive motion to discuss the issue of waste management.”
Tahir Monguno, Senate chief whip and senator representing Borno North, supported the position of the Senate President, noting that the motion did not follow laid-down procedures.
Monguno said, “There is nothing to discuss based on our rules. Because you can’t put something on nothing.”
Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi West, also criticised the motion, accusing Kingibe of bringing it in deceit.
Responding to the decision, Kingibe said she would follow the directive of the Senate, noting that she will represent it as a substantive motion on just waste management.
