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There is no National Grazing Bill pending before the senate, Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Sen. Babajide Omoworare, has said.
In a statement issued in Abuja after plenary on Tuesday, Sen. Omoworare stated that such bill had not been presented to the 8th Senate, but recalled that a bill relating to the issue was presented to the 7th Senate but was not passed.
His words:
“Several distinguished senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have been inundated with the request by members of the public concerning a National Grazing Bill in the Senate.
“This is to clarify that no such Bill has been presented by the Executive arm of government and none has so far been filed by any senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 8th Senate.
“For the avoidance of doubt, a `National Grazing Reserve Establishment and Development Commission Bill (SB. 60)’ was presented by Senator Zaynab Kure (Niger Central) during the 7th Senate (2011–2015).
“That Bill has now expired by the operations of law on the 6th June, 2015, in furtherance of Section 64(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,” he said.
Sen. Eyinaya Abaribe (PDP Abia South) during plenary raised a Point of Order, pointing out there was no such bill.
He had said that he had been called by many of his constituents over the bill, and urged that the senate should come out with clarifications “so that Nigerians can know the true position’’.
The internet had been awash with reports that the senate was planning to pass the bill which had passed second reading.
Public commentators including Reno Omokri and Femi Fani-Kayode have roundly condemned the said bill, calling it a disaster in the making.
READ:#GrazingCommissionBill: What you need to know and why Nigerians reject it
