Emergency Powers: Presidency wants to cripple NASS - Sen Anyanwu

Ahead of the Sep­tember 13 re­sumption date of the two chambers of the National Assembly, the Chairman, Senate Com­mittee on Ethics, Privileg­es and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East) has described the Emergency Powers Bill being proposed by the executive as an at­tempt by some mischie­vous politicians to kill the institution of the National Assembly.

Anyanwu, who was fielding questions from journalists in Abuja yes­terday, said that passing such bill into law would only go a long way to confer absolute pow­ers on the president, a development which in turn would enthrone full blown dictatorship.

According to the law­maker who belongs to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Presi­dent Muhammadu Bu­hari, presently wields suf­ficient powers and does not require those associ­ated with the functions and duties of the National Assembly to turn around the economic fortunes of the country.

He added that the Pres­ident’s request amounts to an attempt to usurp the responsibility of the apex legislative body.

He said: Well, first I haven’t seen any bill to that effect, but let me say that I’m for any bill that will enhance the econo­my of the country. At the same time, any bill that will give absolute power to the President, which by the way he already has, is deadly because with the kind of democracy we practice in Nigeria, I believe he already wields enough powers to do what he is doing.