President Buhari will sign Peace Corps Bill - Senator Ohuabunwa

- A PDP senator has expressed optimism that President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the Peace Corps bill into law

- Senator Mao Ohuabunwa representing Abia north senatorial district, says the president has no reason not to sign the bill

- He described the bill as the people's bill geared towards employment generation

The senator representing Abia north senatorial district, Mao Ohuabunwa, has expressed optimism that President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the Peace Corps bill into law.

The bill which was passed at the National Assembly last year was submitted to the presidency for assent on December 27, 2017.

The president, is however, yet to comment on the issue, a move which some say is a signal that the president is not favourably disposed in assenting to the bill.

Giving his thoughts on the issue on Wednesday, February 21, Senator Ohuabunwa said the president has no reason not to sign the bill, adding that the bill is for the Nigerian people geared towards creating employment.

READ ALSO: Consultant writes Buhari, points out difference between Peace Corps and other security agencies

His words: “I don't really see the president withholding his assent. This is the people's bill. This is a bill that will create employment for the youth and remember, when we were discussing insecurity, I made an allusion to the fact that, even these young men and women can be trained as intelligent officers.

“Like we have seen, security now has gone beyond machete and guns, we need a lot of intelligence, technology. These guys can be trained and I think this is also an avenue to reduce not only employment, but even underemployment. I want to believe that the president will jump at this and definitely assent to this bill."

The lawmaker also emphasised that the National Assembly could exercise its constitutional powers to override the president should he refuses to assent to the bill.

“If the contrary happens, there is always a channel of communication, he will send it back to us then we definitely know what to do from there.

“I don't want to preempt, but if it is true the president has withheld his assent, then we have our statutory responsibility either to veto or override the president's veto,” Ohuabunwa added.

The lawmaker also frowned at the continuous siege on the office of the Peace Corps by the Nigerian police, saying he was misinformed that the police had vacated the office, otherwise, he would have moved a motion to that effect on the floor of the Senate. He, however, said he would not hesitate to bring the matter up to the knowledge of his colleagues, should the police continue to lay siege on the office in the coming weeks.

In a related development, the spokesperson of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Millicent Umoru, has said the national headquarters of the organisation is still under lock and keys, contrary to the rumour that the police had vacated the premises.

Umoru while addressing journalists on Wednesday, February 21, said despite the two court orders given recently and the directive of the House of Representatives that police should unseal the office, the FCT commissioner of police, Sadiq Bello, pleaded last week that the office would be open within 7 days, but the status quo has remained.

“This promise was made last week Thursday and till now, the office is still under lock and key.

“We were there today and it was confirmed that the police men are still there and the van is still stationed there so there is no indication that they are even ready to leave as at the time we went there,” she said.

As peace loving and non violent organization, Umoru said the Corps would return to the National Assembly and “pass the information to them that up till now, the place is still sealed up.”

READ ALSO: Police, Peace Corps supporters clash in Abuja

Meanwhile, members of the Not Too Young To Run movement, recently urged President Buhari to assent to the age reduction bill which they are championing for young Nigerians to be qualified for political office.

They, however, advised members of the National Assembly to veto the president, should he delay or declines assent to the bill.

EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng