Senate warns against misinterpretation of laws

Disturbed by the ruling of a Federal High Court, which restrained it from taking further action on the contentious Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018, the Senate yesterday warned against misinterpretation of the country’s laws.

Such misinterpretations, according to the upper legislative chamber, had made some critics to always see bills passed by the National Assembly as either self serving or infractions on extant laws of the land without ab initio, participating in the process of coming up with the bills.



Giving the warning at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on three separate bills, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said it was unfortunate that such critics are never present at such legislative forum for the needed cross fertilisation of ideas.

Saraki who was represented by the Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC Kebbi South), added that the Senate had no particular positions on bills being processed.

The bills for which the public hearing was convened are the Legal Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill 2018, Data Protection Bill and Facial Mutilation Prohibition Bill.

Saraki said:”No particular position has been taken in respect of these bills, that is the reason why relevant stakeholders in their areas of focus were invited but unfortunately ardent critics of laws made by us are not here to make their inputs.’’Camerounian refugees seeking asylum in Nigeria hit 20, 000, says UNHCR

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Center for Citizens with Disabilities (CDD), Mr. David Anyaele yesterday reiterated the call for the immediate passage of the Nigerian Disability Bill into law.

During a “Stakeholders forum on Nigeria Disability Bill,” organized by CCD, he expressed the hope that the bill would be assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari without delay.