Senate adjourns for Christmas, New Year

The Senate on Thursday adjourned plenary till January 16, for the Christmas and New Year break.
This followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Sen. Ahmed Lawan (APC Yobe), at plenary and seconded by Sen. Philip Aduda (PDP-FCT) on behalf of the minority.
In a few remarks before his motion, Lawan described the outgoing year as a successful one for the Senate in terms of bills and motions passed.
“I believe we have done so much work within the year. We have remained focused throughout this period, and we have cooperated among ourselves very well.
“Even though from time to time, partisanship would tend to take its toll, we have displayed commitment and statesmanship.
“I want to thank, particularly our presiding officers, the Senate President and our Deputy Senate President, and of course our colleagues in opposition, those in PDP, APGA, SDP, ADP and PRP.
“You have done wonderfully well by supporting everything for the good governance of Nigeria, and that is how it should be.
“We did that for 16 years while we were in the opposition, and I believe that we will continue with this next year,” he said.
Lawan also thanked his fellow APC members for standing by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, urging them to sustain the tempo in 2019.
He assured the Executive arm of government of the continued cooperation and partnership of the Senate to ensure that “we give Nigerians what they need regardless of our political affiliation.”
“As a government consisting of three arms, I believe there is no way we can succeed without working together.
“I think that going forward, we can only move to the next level when we are able to work together assiduously regardless of where we are in terms of politics and who we are in terms of where we came from.
“I want to urge the third arm of government to continue to work with us, and of course we are prepared to also work with them.
“This is what Nigerians desire. They don’t care what political party or arm of government you belong.
“What Nigerians care for is service delivery; we give them roads, healthcare and security,” he said.
Before seconding the motion, Aduda also gave few remarks in which he thanked his colleagues for working together for the peace and prosperity of the nation.
“Since the beginning of this year, we have worked together for the unity and prosperity of this nation.
“Even when at some points we disagreed, we resolved our differences and came out stronger.
“Mr President, we are ending this year on a very wonderful note and we pray to God Almighty that as we move into the new year it will come with lots of prospects and good tidings.
“We pray 2019 further strengthen us as a nation and put us on the pedestal of prosperity,” he said.
On his part, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the sitting, wished Nigerians well during and after the festive period.
Ekweremadu advised Nigerians to drive carefully, and eat and drink responsibly “knowing that there is tomorrow.”