Tag: Constitutional Amendment

Constitution Amendment: NASS approves financial autonomy for State Legislatures, Judiciary, LGs

Aminu Imam

…Rejects FG’s grip on VAT, pension for NASS presiding officers, and other matters The Senate and House of Representatives have approved financial autonomy for State legislatures, Judiciary and local governments in the country, in the ongoing voting on Nigeria’s Constitution amendments. The approval came yesterday, during voting on the report of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (Fifth Alteration) Bills, 2022. The senators, during voting on the report, rejected pension for presiding officers of the legislature. Out of a total number of 88 Senators registered to…

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Constitution Amendment: State Speakers insist on restructuring, Community Police

Aminu Imam

The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria has insisted on restructuring of Nigeria and community police in the on-going amendment to the 1999 Constitution as the National Assembly placed elimination of joint account and local government autonomy on the agenda. Chairman of the Conference, Abubakar Suleiman who is also the Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, in his remarks at the retreat, urged the National Assembly to carry the Presidency and governors along for the proposals to scale through. Suleiman, stated this yesterday in Abuja, at a…

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Reps. to raise candidates’ minimum education qualification for president, governors, lawmakers

Aminu Imam

…Bill passes second reading The House of Representatives yesterday passed through second reading, a Bill for an Act to alter the 1999 Constitution to change the educational qualification for election into certain political offices. If passed into law, the proposed legislation will make it compulsory for persons seeking election into the office of the President, Governor, National and State Houses of Assembly to acquire a university degree or its equivalent. The present educational qualification for elective positions enshrined in the 1999 Constitution is the School Certificate, which includes the West…

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Constitution Amendment: NASS splits office of Justice Minister from AGF

Aminu Imam

…Independent candidates can now contest without primaries The Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has approved the separation of the office of the Minister of Justice from that of the Attorney-General of the Federation, (AGF), as part of the recommended amendments to the 1999 Constitution. The matter and about 54 other proposed amendments are expected to be tabled before the legislative arm by the end of this month. If it is passed by the two chambers and endorsed by at least two-thirds of 36 State Houses…

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Constitution Amendment: Reps Committee rejects immunity clause for Senate President, Reps. Speaker

Aminu Imam

…Yields to Buhari, rejects State Police The House of Representatives Committee on amendment of the 1999 Constitution has rejected a Bill seeking to grant immunity to presiding officers of the National Assembly and judicial officers. The Bill, titled: ‘An Act to alter Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to extend immunity to cover presiding officers of the legislative institutions”, was sponsored by Segun Odebunmi, from Oyo State. Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution states that no civil or criminal proceedings can be instituted against…

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Constitutional amendment: South-West governors propose supreme courts for geo-political zones

Aminu Imam

Governors in the South-West geo-political zone have proposed de-centralisation of the Supreme Court in the on-going amendments to the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly. In their memorandum, through the South-West Caucus in the National Assembly, the governors are seeking the establishment of six more apex courts, one in each of the geo-political zones. The document, dated July 5, 2021, was titled: “Proposals for the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended): Presentation by South West Governors’ Forum“. Specifically, the governors are seeking an…

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NPC/NBC Acts amendment: Presidency has no hand in controversial media Bills ? Adesina

Aminu Imam

The Presidency, on Wednesday, said it had no hands in the ongoing amendment processes to the Nigerian Press Council, (NPC) Act and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act by the National Assembly. Recall that a lot of outcries from media stakeholders had greeted the amendment processes, with some describing it as another attempt by the federal government to gag the media and others describing it as a reintroduction of the obnoxious Decree Number 4 of the past. Responding to questions from State House Correspondents after the week’s virtual Federal Executive…

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‘Nigeria cannot have new Constitution, Says Senate Dep. President, Omo-Agege

Aminu Imam

Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, has shot down calls for a new Constitution, noting that granting such a request would be impossible. Omo-Agege said the Senate Committee on the review of the constitution is working “in accordance with the extant legal order which is the 1999 Constitution.” The deputy senate president revealed this at the on-going 2-day National Public Hearing on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, in Abuja. He said, “Specifically, section 9 of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to alter the provisions of the Constitution…

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Senate begins constitutional amendment, calls for memoranda

Ishaku Yohanna

The Nigerian Senate on Thursday commenced the process of amending the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), requesting for memoranda and proposals from Nigerians and interest groups. This was contained in a statement on Thursday by the Deputy President of the Senate and chairman Ad-hoc committee on the review, Ovie Omo-Agege. According to the statement, the committee welcomes proposals that would promote good governance and welfare of all persons in the country, especially on the principles of freedom, Equality and Justice. “The Committee requests the general public, Executive and…

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