Xenophobia: Ekweremadu, Senate members cancel trip to S-Africa over recent attacks

By Naomi Sharang and Cecilia

The Senate has cancelled its planned trip to South Africa over recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.

Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at Wednesday’s plenary, announced the cancellation of the trip ‎after about 30 minutes closed-door session of the upper chamber.

He said that the lawmakers reached the decision to withdraw from the trip following the insistence of the House of Representatives to send a separate delegation to South Africa.

Ekweremadu disclosed that attempts by the Senate to prevail on the lower chamber to allow a single National Assembly delegation for the trip were rejected by the green chamber.

“On our trip to South Africa to engage our colleagues in their parliament regarding xenophobia, we noted that the House Representatives insisted on going to South Africa independently.

“We thought we could send a single delegation of the National Assembly to avoid the unnecessary embarrassment of multiple delegations.

“In the circumstance, the Senate decided to pull out of the trip and allow the delegation of the House of Representatives to proceed. We wish them safe trip and good luck,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the senate had while condemning the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa on Feb. 28, resolved to send a delegation to South Africa’s parliament on the issue.

Consequently, it raised a delegation head by Ekweremadu for the mission.

But, same time, similar step was taken at the House of Representatives, which brought up the need for a joint delegation of the National Assembly.