Senator Ayogu Eze is the Senate chair man on Media and Public Affairs. In this interview with Vanguard, the lawmaker explained why the constitution does not empower the Senate to act on the prolonged absence of President Yar’Adua from office over ill-health. Excerpts:

By Dayo Benson
IN view of the angry reaction of Nigerians recently over the President’s long absence, how does it make the Senate feel?
We don’t feel anything except to acknowledge that the people that were meeting were meeting under the right enshrined in our constitution. We also feel that it was wise of them that they chose the parliament which is the hub of the representatives of the government. Because the soul of every democracy is the parliament and the parliament is the head of the representatives of the people.

Having chosen to come and speak here, they are entitled to their views. It was democracy in action, if you ask me.
I ask this question because  you said last week that the Senate was helpless over the President’s illness constitutionally…
I didn’t say that the Senate was helpless, I said the constitution does not give the Senate any ambit to do anything in the situation right now. It depends on Section 145, which gives the president the option to write or not to write and Section 144 which empowers the Senate to act. In the event of whatever happens the initiative has to come from the President’s body of ministers.

You cannot also compel them to act because the constitution does not give the situation to compel them.

It must have been in view of growing public resentment that made the Senate to take a stand Tuesday and would you say that what you did was as a result of that?
As a result of what?

The growing public resentment over the issue?
Yes of course. On our own, we have been on holiday, so we could not deliberate on it earlier and while on holiday we listened to the views of Nigerians. Even as we resumed we listened to the views of Nigerians because we represent Nigerians. If we are not influenced by the views of Nigerians, which views will influence us? The essence of the representation is to listen to the people of Nigeria and to take action in the direction of their yearnings and aspirations.

Why House is sending a delegation to Saudi — Eseme Eyiboh

By Dapo Akinrefon

MR Eseme Eyiboh is the chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs. In this interview with Vanguard, he talked about the proposed plan by the House of Representatives to send a delegation to investigate the state of President Yar’Adua’s health. Excerpts:

Why did it take the House so long  to decide to send a delegation to Saudi Arabia to investigate the President’s ill-health?
First, a house of about 360 members just resumed and it’s not something few people will sit down and decide. Every member of the House is expected to have come together and engage themselves before reaching a decision.

How many members of the House of Representatives will be going to Saudi Arabia to carry out this investigation?
That will duly depend on the discretion of the leadership of the House of Representatives.

The House will also make sure we don’t turn it into a wasteful journey. It is not the number of the members going there that is the issue but the importance of the message and the engagement.

When is the delegation likely to go to Saudi?
As soon as possible.

How optimistic is the delegation going to reach the President considering the fact that visitors may not be allowed to see him?
You are only trying to speculate. The President has spoken and a lot of Nigerians have sent their good wishes to him. It is no longer in doubt that he is recuperating, it’s no longer in doubt that he is alive.

As regards his disposition to see us, of course, he’s going to be as healthy as the message he sent to members of the National Assembly.