News Editor
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has been notified of plan to recall Senator Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo from the Nigerian Senate.
Activist Shammasu Musa Dantsoho in a petition addressed to INEC Chairman, on behalf of constituents, said Senator Onawo(PDP, Nasarawa South) who is barely 14-months in office has lost their confidence, hence the decision for his recall.
Reacting however, Senator Onawo through his Senior Legislative Aide, Dr James Ayuba Akwe, on Wednesday dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.
The aide in a statement made available to n-Mirror says “Senator Onawo remains the best performing lawmaker in the 10th National Assembly from Nasarawa State”.
“The attention of the Office of Distinguished Senator Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo has been drawn to a purported petition to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by one ‘Activist’ Shammasu Musa Dantsoho, seeking for recall of Senator Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo. We wouldn’t have dignified the petition with a reply, but this would afford us another opportunity to educate ‘Activist’ Dantsoho and his other co-travelers. First, we would address the constitutional requirement to recall a parliamentarian as contained in Section 69 of the Constitution.
“Second, we would seize the opportunity to educate ‘Activist’ Dantsoho on the functions of a lawmaker as enshrined in the Constitution. And lastly, we would remind ‘Activist’ Dantsoho of the many strides of Senator Onawo within the last 13 months as the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. First, there is no doubt that Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) provides for recall of a member of the Senate of House of Representatives provided a pre-condition is met before the INEC even considers the petition. Maybe ‘Activist’ Dantsoho and his co-travelers are not aware of this provision. Section 69(a) provides that the petition in that behalf should be by more than one-half (that is, 50%) of the persons registered to vote in the Senator’s constituency alleging their loss of confidence in the Senator.
“In case, ‘Activist’ Dantsoho is unaware, a total of 713,318 persons registered to vote during the 2023 general elections in Nasarawa South of Nasarawa State. Therefore, the worthless petition would have to be signed by 356,659 registered voters from Nasarawa South Senatorial District. Nothing of such happened. May we remind ‘Activist’ Dantsoho that recall of any Senator or Member of the House of Representatives as contemplated by Section 69 of the Constitution is a serious business. If at all the so-called petition finds it way to INEC, the Commission would undoubtedly thrash it for failing below the minimum threshold to recall any parliamentarian.
“Second and unfortunately, ‘Activist’ Dantsoho is grossly ignorant of the basic functions of a lawmaker. There are three (3) main functions of a lawmaker – lawmaking, representation, and oversight. Ignorantly, almost all the reasons adduced in the worthless petition are not the functions of a lawmaker. Typically, a lawmaker is not responsible for policing the country, provision of infrastructure, creation of job opportunities, etc, save in a dysfunctional democracy like ours. Nonetheless, Senator Onawo has been able to influence several projects/empowerments to the senatorial district. Most of these projects/empowerments would be evident as the implementation of the 2024 Appropriation Act is ongoing. We, therefore, refer ‘Activist’ Dantsoho to Sections 4(1-9), 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, and other relevant sections of the Constitution on the functions of a lawmaker. At least, we have been magnanimous to ‘Activist’ Dantsoho and his co-travelers based on this pro-bono legal education. We also advise them to take up any Law 101 online course. This would help in their basic understanding of the functions of a lawmaker in Nigeria and beyond.
“Third, it is undoubted that Senator Onawo remains the best performing lawmaker from Nasarawa State at the 10th National Assembly. As of today, no federal lawmaker from the State can match his achievements. Within the last 13 months, the distinguished Senator has sponsored three (3) pertinent bills. These bills include a bill for an Act to give force of law to resolutions passed by both Houses of the National Assembly and for related matters; a bill for an Act to establish the Solid Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission; and a bill for an Act to establish the National Eye Centre in Doma, Nasarawa State.
“In fact, a widely celebrated public hearing on the bill to establish the Eye Centre was held on 9th July 2024 where dignitaries across party lines from the State attended the event. Several motions were moved by Senator Onawo within the referenced period, including the motion on ‘’the urgent need to provide relief materials and support to the people of Awe, Keana, and Doma LGAs of Nasarawa South Senatorial District in Nasarawa State.’’ In addition, Senator Onawo has made invaluable contributions to discussions on the floor of the senate and within various standing committees, consistently demonstrating his profound knowledge and exceptional impact. Video recordings of his contributions can be readily found all over the internet, including YouTube. This is called effective representation.
“Furthermore, the Senator has successfully facilitated twenty-six (26) pensionable employment opportunities across various Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), along with two (2) political appointments with the offices of the President and Deputy President of the Senate. No federal lawmaker from Nasarawa State has achieved these feet within the past 13 months. Senator Onawo has established inspiring partnerships with the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom. The University recently trained fifty (50) teachers from both private and public secondary schools in Nasarawa South Senatorial District, aimed at enhancing their teaching capabilities. Also, in collaboration with the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technology Institute, Lafia, Senator Onawo is currently training fifty-one (51) constituents in vocational and technological skills. This initiative aims to foster youth self-reliance within the senatorial district.
“The provision of N1.94billion for the Lafia-Doma-Rutu-Bassa-Rafin Gabas-Nasarawa-Ara-Orozo Road, which was facilitated by Senator Onawo is no longer news. The selective bidding process by the Federal Ministry of Works is ongoing, and the preferred contractor would seen mobilize to site. A couple of solar-powered boreholes have been drilled across the senatorial district; blocks of furnished classrooms have been built among others. Gladly, much more of the projects/empowerments would be seen/felt by our people as the implementation of the 2024 Appropriation Act gets underway.
In conclusion, we advise ‘Activist’ Dantsoho and his co-travelers to deploy their energy into meaningful areas than indulge in an agenda that is dead from conception,” the statement reads.
Senator Onawo, a former House of Representatives member succeeded Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura in June 2023 in the Senate.
