Senate endorses swearing-in president, vice at NASS

The Senate Thursday passed a Bill for an Act to provide for the inauguration of the President and the Vice-President at the National Assembly Complex.

The passage of the Bill followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Special Duties which scrutinized the legislation.

The Bill was sponsored by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Abdulaziz Nyako who presented the report noted that the Senate had on Thursday, December 8, 2016, deliberated on the general principles of the Bill.

“The Bill seeks to provide for the inauguration or swearing in of the President and the Vice-President to be carried out within the confines of the Parliament as it is done in the United States and other democracies of the world.

“This is in recognition of the fact the legislature is the assemblage of the representatives of the entire country and as such, it will not be out of place for such important national event to take place in the National assembly.”

Ekweremadu who presided said that inauguration of the President and his vice at the National Assembly Complex is a standard practice in most presidential systems.

“That is the standard. Because the National Assembly is the symbol of democracy and here is the temple of democracy. It makes every sense that presidents will take oath office within the confines of the highest legislative body in the land under the supervision of the peoples’ representatives.”