Many Nigerian lawmakers consume, trade

Kano South Senator, Kawu Sumaila, has alleged that many members of the National Assembly engaged in drug abuse while carrying out their official duties.

Mr Sumaila said this during plenary on Tuesday while contributing to the debate on a Bill to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation..

The senator specifically said most of his colleagues possessed hard drugs and kept them in their various constituency offices and homes.

He also claimed that majority of the senators have ties with drug dealers

“As I am speaking now, most of our offices in our constituencies, most of our political offices in our constituencies, most of our houses, when you go there, you will find out that there is a mountain of drugs and there are drug dealers in our offices and in our houses. All in our houses,” he said.

Mr Sumaila, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), also said he knows some senior politicians who are supporting drug dealers in the illegal business.

“I can take you to some of the political leaders who are in so many ways contributing or supporting drug abusers in Nigeria. Therefore, Mr. President, we need to be serious.

“If we are talking, we need to understand, we are all one here. We need to fight it from our own side. We need to be serious. Let us go to the test and see who and who are not,” he said.

Encouraging drug abuse during campaign

Mr Sumaila dared his colleagues to swear with the Qur’an and the Bible that they didn’t encourage drug abuse when they were campaigning for election.

“Let us ask ourselves during our campaign, what are we doing with the so-called youth? How many of us can swear with Qur’an or Bible that in any way they are not supporting drug abusers in their constituency?

“I am happy if all of us can swear with Holy Qur’an that they are not in any way in support of drug abusers or encouraging the youths in their constituency to take drugs because they are political,” added.

Going for drug test before contesting elections

The senator also recommended conducting drug tests for politicians before contesting elections and assuming political positions.

“And, Mr. President, we need…whether we are allowing this bill to continue to have an agency or we are strengthening NDLEA, we need to create a situation where before contesting elections, or before taking a debate, at whatever in government, at government level, you must go for a drug test.”

Collaboration needed

The senator said the country will not achieve the essence of the bill until the upper chamber collaborates with relevant stakeholders to stop drug abuse in the country.

“Mr. President, there is one aspect which we need to look into. Whether we created this agency, whether we strengthen the activities of NDLEA, we need to do something. We, as politicians, we, as leaders in this country, we, as stakeholders, we need to do a lot.

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“We all believe that religiously, both Islam and Christianity, even in our traditional religion, drugs-related abuse or drug abuse is prohibited. But, who and who are encouraging and who and who are supporting it?

“Mr. President, we cannot achieve the result, we cannot achieve the intent of this bill unless and until we all agree that we will put our heads together with relevant stakeholders to stop drug abuse in Nigeria,” Mr Sumaila added.

Responding, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary ruled Mr Sumaila out of order saying the comment was not relevant to the debate on the bill.

“Order 56. Debate upon any motion, bill or amendment shall be relevant to such motion.

“While we are speaking, while we are contributing, our contribution should be relevant to the subject matter. In this case, your contribution is not relevant to the subject matter. I therefore rule out of order,” the deputy senate president, who represents Kano North, said.