The Senate has reacted to the call by Governors on the National Assembly to suspend its consideration of the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020.
Recall that there has been a widespread uproar about the consideration of the bill by both chambers of the National Assembly. The states’ chief executives called for the immediate suspension of the Bills after the 8th COVID-19 teleconference of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum The governors, in a communiqué expressed discomfort that they were not consulted by the National Assembly on the infectious diseases bill as the leaders of the anti-COVID efforts in their respective states.
According to the communiqué, members of the NGF took the decision after they were briefed by Sokoto State Governor and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal on the content of the bill and the implication of its passage into law. However, the spokesman of the Senate, Senator Basiru in a statement on his Twitter handle said: “As to inquiry on what is the position of the Senate to the newspaper report on the call for suspension by Governors of the infectious disease bill.“When and if a communication is received by the Senate from appropriate channel, it will be considered democratically in accordance with the procedure of the Senate and a decision taken by majority as is expected in a democracy.