Reps Approve 71 Amendments to Nigerian Constitution

The House of Representatives
on Wednesday in Abuja voted to effect 71 amendments to sections of the 1999 constitution.

The lawmakers also backed the
adoption of referendum for state
creation.

They, however, rejected the
amendment of Section 9 to allow for a referendum in determining the fate of the National Conference
recommendations.

Among the 261 house members who participated in the process, 252 members voted in favour of the amendments, eight voted against and one abstained.

A two-third vote (240 of the 360-
members) is required to amend the
constitution.

The report will be forwarded to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for their concurrence.

The 71 amendments approved by the lower house border on legislative immunity, local government autonomy, state creation, indigeneship and citizenship.

Some others are independent
candidacy in elections, budgetary
process, life pension for National
Assembly heads and role for
traditional rulers.

An alteration of Section 7 among
others, stops revenue allocation from the Federation Account to local
governments that are not
democratically elected.

They also approved the dissolution of local government administrations at the expiration of four years commencing from the date the members of councils were sworn in.

While altering Section 59, the
lawmakers also voted to bypass the
president if he failed to sign a bill
presented to him within 30 days.

"Within seven days, the President of
the Senate shall convene a joint sitting of the National Assembly to reconsider the bill.

"And if passed by two-thirds majority of members of both Houses at such joint sitting, the Bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required," the conference report reads.

In other constitution amendments,
house members also approved
independent candidacy in elections in Nigeria.

A new amendment makes it
mandatory for the president to
address a joint meeting of the National Assembly once a year.

The office of the Auditor-General of
the Federation, Nigerian Police,
Revenue Mobilization Allocation and
Fiscal Commission, National Security
Agencies have now been place on a
firstline charge from Nigeria's Consolidated Revenue Account.

House members equally approved life pension for the President and Deputy President of theSenate as well as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The life pension would be paid only if he/she was not impeached from
office.

An alteration of Section 241 which
inserts a new subsection (2A) bars
Nigerian courts or tribunals from
staying any proceeding on account of an interlocutory appeal.

House members also voted to include seven items to the concurrent legislative list, some of which are agriculture, railways and pensions.
(NAN)