FOI Bill Suffers another Set back in the House of Representatives

On May 7, 2008 the House of Representatives again postpone a clause by clause consideration (Third Reading) of the Freedom of Information Bill which was on its order paper for a third and final reading to a later date due to the ‘absence’ of the bill’s sponsor, Hon. Abike Dabiri.

The Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Usman Nafada who Chaired the day’s preceding announced that the FOI Bill had been deferred on April 29 from being considered, and that the House will now begin the consideration of the bill in the Committee of the Whole. At this point he called on the sponsor of the Bill, Hon. Abike to begin the presentation, but Hon. Abike was not in the chambers, he then called on the co-sponsors of the Bill, but none of them was in the chambers. The Deputy Speaker then asked Hon. Ita Enang if he did not inform the sponsor of the bill that the House will be considering the bill on that day.

In his response, Hon. Ita Enang said that he had promised Nigerians on May 2, 2008 that the House of Representatives was going to consider  the bill that week, and that he had written to Hon. Abike to inform her to prepare for the bill's consideration for that day. He also said that he had sent out a notification on Monday (5, May) that all members should ensure that they come along with copies of their FOI bill to the chambers since they would begin the clause by clause consideration. But that he was surprised that both the sponsor and the co-sponsors of the bill were not in the chambers.

At this point Hon. Ita Enang then appealed and pleaded with the Deputy Speaker and his colleagues to stand down the bill this once pending when the sponsor will be back and ready.

The Deputy Speaker then said that the House did not have much of a choice at this point in time but to stand down the bill since Hon. Abike who is the ‘sole sponsor’ of the bill was not in the chambers, and there would be no point considering the bill since he was sure most members would want to ask her questions. 

The co-sponsors of the FOI bill In the House of Representatives are Hon. Peter L. Umoh, Hon. Malaye Daniel Dino, Hon. Alaba Ojiomoh and Hon. Farouk Lawan.