Withholding of assent is not the end of the Peace Corps bill, it is still on transit - Senator Ohuabunwa

- Reactions have continued to trail the rejection of the Peace Corps bill by President Muhammadu Buhari

- There are however those who are optimistic that the bill will still scale through

- One of such persons is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator, Mao Ohuabunwa

- He said he though Buhari would jump at the bill, knowing that it would be an opportunity to create jobs for the youths

The senator representing Abia North senatorial district, Mao Ohuabunwa, has expressed optimism that the Peace Corps bill will scale through despite its rejection by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the PDP senator, the bill was still in transit and that it would definitely complete its cycle.

President Buhari this week informed the House of Representatives and the Senate that he was withholding his assent on the bill due to paucity of funds and duplication of duties.

READ ALSO: There is conspiracy against the youths - Peace Corps commandant

But Senator Ohuabunwa told journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, February 28, that he was extremely surprised that the president did not jump at the bill especially because it could potentially “endear his party (APC) to the people.”

His words: “Personally I was surprised because I thought that, it was a bill the president would jump at, knowing that it would be an opportunity to create jobs for our teeming youths, especially now when we have so many security challenges.

“For me, I thought that this is one bill that would help us at this time and the government and the party really would jump at it, at least, as something that would endear you to the people. This is more like the people’s bill.

“Youths are already yearning for it. Everybody is geared towards it. Everything must not be legalistic in a political dispensation.”

Speaking on the issue of funding cited by Buhari as part of the reasons why he rejected the bill, the lawmaker said: “There is no where you have a domiciled fund, kept for a particular program or project of the agency or government. The creation of the agency would now enable provision of funds. You should look at things for the benefit of the people and going extra mile for providing even resources for the funds.”

According to him, the president should have assented to the bill because it is a “scientific approach to security, unemployment and intelligence reporting."

He said what the country needs at the moment is intelligence gathering and civil way of fighting crime.

On the excuse of duplication of duties, the lawmaker said, there is virtually no agency that does not interwove with others. He said the only agency that performs exclusive function in the country is the Nigerian police, which is solely responsible for prosecution of accused persons in court.

He assured Nigerian youths that the bill would surely reach the last point of legislative process, adding that, “Withholding of assent is not the end of the bill.”

According to him, “the bill is still in transit. It is in a process. Every bill has a process. Withholding of assent is not the end of the bill. So the bill has a process. I believe that this is one bill that will complete its cycle."

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 news app

Meanwhile, some members of the House of Representatives have reacted to Tuesday, February 27, rejection of the Peace Corps of Nigeria's bill by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The lawmakers said the decision of the president would further aggravate the security challenges witnessed in the country.

A lawmaker from Delta state, Nicholas Ossai, said the Peace Corps of Nigeria should be seen as a main objective for youth empowerment.

Hurry up! 1 week until winner announced - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng