Some Senators on Saturday in Abuja, said that there is nothing like ‘juicy committee’ in the 8th national Assembly under the government of the All Progressives Congress.
The Senators, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria, likened the perceived juicy committees to corruption that characterised the past administration.
Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Ibn Na’Alla, said that he did not understand what they meant by juicy committees, especially with the fight against corruption by the APC government.
“I am saying it with all degree of responsibility that Senator Na’Allah does not understand what is a juicy committee or what is not juicy committee.
“It is even more so under the present dispensation, where there is going to be zero tolerance against corruption.
“So what existed before the coming of this government and what can be referred to as juicy committee; I am absolutely sure will cease to exist in this administration.
“What I know will be are committees that should rededicate themselves to the service of their fatherland through doing those oversight functions that have been conferred on them,” he said.
Na’Allah said that while he was a federal representative, he had as a matter of policy avoided membership of any committee charged with probe of government agencies or those considered as `juicy.’
According to him, the work of a senator is that of service to humanity, to his constituency and to the nation.
Na’Allah said, “I had been member of committees such as House Committee on Judiciary, House Committee on Justice and House Committee on Rules and Business.
“Today I am a member of the Ethics and Privileges Committee because I have passion for ensuring that code of conducts is maintained.
“It is degrading, it does not show seriousness, and it does not portray service to humanity, when we begin to say some committees are juicy.
“Let me be honest with you; this thing is only known to this country and it is only known to Nigeria’s democracy.
“I have never heard in any parliament anywhere in the world where committees are referred to as Juicy and none Juicy.”
In his view, Senator Kabir Marafa (APC Zamfara Central) said that he had no idea of what makes a committee to be juicy except if juiciness is synonymous with work.
He said that he had been privileged to work in a number of committees and they were all juicy as far as work was concerned.
“Now, if you are talking of juicy in terms of making money, then you are in the wrong government.
“If juicy means a committee that will engage you 24 hours and bring the best out of you, I think all committees have that potential.
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