The Senate is proposing to hurriedly pass the bill returning to the old National Anthem without consultations with Nigeria or organising a public hearing to get their input.
The Senate is currently in a closed-door session to consider a bill seeking to amend the components of the Nigerian National Anthem, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report.
If the bill is passed, the existing anthem will be replaced with the old components of the anthem that were changed in 1978 during the Olusegun Obasanjo regime.
The lawmakers went into the closed-door session at about 11:15 p.m. after the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion to that effect.
The is being presided over by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
In the closed-door session, the senate leadership proposed, reading the bill for the first time today and at the same time passing it for a second reading during the plenary.
If this is achieved, it will be considered that the bill is hurriedly passed.
"Senate in Executive/closed session to change the Nigerian anthem. The leadership wants the bill to bring the old item back. They want the bill to be read first reading and 2nd reading passed today" a source who attended the closed-door session told our reporter.
Public hearing
It was gathered that some senators were against the hurried passage of the bill during the closed-door session.
Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) and Mohammed Goje ( APC Gombe) specifically opposed the hurried passage of the bill without consulting Nigerians.
The duo urged the Senate leadership to organise a public hearing on the bill before considering its passage.
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Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP, Kebbi North) advised the Senate leadership to consult concerned parties across the country before considering the bill.
He said, "Nigerians are suffering, that amending/changing the National Anthem via a bill seems like diversion of attention of Nigerians".
Who supported
Victor Umeh, the senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, supported the hurried passage of the bill.
Mr Umeh, a member of the Labour Party, cited Rwanda as a case study.
"Senator Umeh of the Labour Party used Rwanda as an example. He hailed the old Anthem as good drafting, hence he supported the Leadership 100% to change the present Anthem by amending the law and bringing the old anthem by dropping the present anthem.
"He is against any public hearing and states that public hearing will open Pandora's box," the source added.
"Sen Umeh is an eye-service man. He wants to please the Senate President. Sen Umeh doesn't want Nigerians to be part of the decision whether to drop the present National Anthem or not with the old anthem. He said that allowing Nigerians to ventilate their opinions will cause anarchy."
The senate president, thereafter, ruled that the bill would be passed today and that any Nigerian who is not satisfied should come to the Senate complex for a public hearing.
