Centre for Citizens

Abuja — The House of Representatives will today roll out the drums in commemoration of ten years of sustained legislative democracy in Nigeria.

The lower chambers will also roll out the red carpet for its past leaders, as they join the House of Representatives in a special sitting in the hallowed chambers.

As a prelude to the celebration, the House in plenary yesterday adopted a motion seeking to admit all former principal officers of the House and former members of the House from 1999 to 2007 into the chambers to mark the occasion. Majority Leader of the House, Honourable Honourable Tunde Akogun (PDP Edo) moved the motion in pursuant to Order XV. Rule 9 (1) of the House and it was unanimously adopted that the House suspend its rules to allow the former lawmakers to be admitted into the chambers for a ceremonial plenary.

According to the programme of events, six former Speakers of the House of Representatives namely Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, Agunwa Anekwe, Salisu Buhari, Ghali Umar Na'Abba, Aminu Bello Masari as well as Patricia Olubunmi Etteh are expected to grace the special session.

Also yesterday, the House passed a total of nine bills into law, as the bills scaled the critical third reading stage. The new Acts included a Bill for an Act to Establish the National Agricul-tural Development Fund; a Bill for an Act to Ensure Full Integra-tion of Persons with Disabilities into the Society and Establish a National Commission for Per-sons with Disabilities and the Bill for an Act to Establish the Hydroelectric Power Producing Area Development Commission (HYPADEC) and vest it with the Responsibility of Managing the Ecological Menace. Others included the Bill for an Act to establish the National Climate Change Commission of Nigeria; a Bill for an Act to Repeal and Re-enact the National Agricultural Seed Council Act, 1992; a Bill for an Act to Establish Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service; a Bill for an Act to amend the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency Act and a Bill for an Act to Repeal the National Programme on Immunization Act, 1997 and transfer the functions of the National Programme on Immunization to the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency(NPHCDA).