‘New Constitution’: Senate, Reps Differ On Key Amendments

The House of Representatives Thursday joined the Senate in voting for key Bills that would transform the political and legal democratic landscape in the country, though both chamber voted amendments that showed some sharp disagreements that is causing concern in the polity. Some of these are affirmative action for women, devolution of powers from the center to the units and citizenship and indigene ship.

The Senate had yesterday approved a provision in the constitution alteration bill, which gives room for independent candidacy in future elections in the country.

It also approved the restriction of someone who has been sworn in as president or governor to complete the term of the elected president or governor from contesting twice.

The senate approved a provision for the funding of the house of assembly of states directly from the consolidated revenue fund of the state.

The senate also approved the provision, which requires the president and governor to submit the names of persons nominated as ministers or commissioners within 30 days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the senate or state house of assembly.

Among the bill passed by the House of Representatives today is the 35 percent affirmative action for women, not too young to run, financial autonomy for state legislature, reduction of authorization of expenditure before budget passage from 6 to three months.

Constitution amendments only become operative after they have been passed by at least 24 state houses of assembly and two-thirds of the national assembly.

The ball is now in the court of at least 24 Houses of Assemblies whose passage of the amendments will make the Constitution operational. Below is the table, showing the key areas of disagreements between the legislators in the upper and lower chambers of the National Assembly

 

House Of Representatives Voting Pattern Today, Thursday

NUMBER BILL YES NO
1 Members of the council of states 274 6
2 Authorization of expenditure 295 0
3 Devolution of power 210 71
4 Financial autonomy of state legislature 286 10
5 Distributable account for Local Governments to have their own special account 291 12
6 Democratic existence funding and tenure of LG council 285 7
7 State creation and boundary adjustment 166 125
8 Immunity for legislators for acts in course of duty 288 10
9 Political parties & electoral matters: Time to conduct bye elections & power to deregister parties 293 2
10 Presidential Assent 10 28
11 Time frame for submission of names of ministerial nominees 248 46
12 Appointment of minister from the FCT 191 91
13 Change of names of some LG councils: Ebonyi, Oyo, Ogun, Plateau and Rivers. 220 57
14 Independent candidacy 275 14
15 The Nigeria Police Force to become Nigerian Police 280 9
16 Restriction of the tenure of president and governor 292 3
17 Separation of accountant general of the federal government from accountant general of the federation 274 23
18 Make the office of the auditor-general of federation and for State financially independent 289 11
18 Financial autonomy for auditor general of federation and state 289 11
19 Separation of office of attorney general from the minister/commissioner of justice 234 58
20 Submissions from the Judiciary 265 6
21 Determination of pre-election matters 288 3
22 Consequential amendment on civil defense 293 2
23 Citizenship and indgeneship 216 77
24 Procedure for overriding presidential veto in constitutional alteration 271 20
25 Removal of law-making power from executive arm (Part 1) To remove NYSC, National Security Agencies/Public Complaints Commission from the constitution to enable only lawmakers make laws on them 209 47
25 Removal of law making power from executive arm (Part 2) Land Use Act. 139 148
26 Investment and securities tribunal 270 12
27 Reduction of age for election 261 2
28 Authorization of expenditure time frame for laying appropriation bill, passage etc 251 7
29 Deletion of state independent electoral commission. 229 51
30 Inclusion of Section 141 of the electoral act in the constitution 241 16

 

 

Below are the 33 bills they considered and how the Senators voted yesterday, Wednesday:

BILLS YES NO REMARK
Members of the Council of States 95 NIL Passed
Devolution of Power 90 5 Not Passed
Financial Autonomy of State Legislature 90 5 Passed
Distributable account for LG’s to have their own special account 84 8 Passed
Democratic Existence funding and tenure of LG council 88  7 Passed
State creation and boundary adjustment 47 48 Not Passed
Immunity for legislators for Acts in Course of Duty 93 1 Passed
Political Parties and Electoral Matters : Time to conduct Bye Elections and Power to deregister parties 90 0 Passed
Presidential Assent 95 1 Passed
Time frame for submission of names of ministerial nominees 75 19 Passed
Submission of Ministerial Nominees with their Portfolios 78 16 Passed
35% affirmative action for women as ministers 49 43 Not Passed
Submission of Commissioners Nominees with their Portfolios 84 7 Passed
Submission of names of office of commissioners shall be attached with portfolio 87 8 Passed
35% Affirmative action for women as states commissioners 61 35 NotPassed
Authorization of expenditure 93 1 Passed
Appointment of Minister from the FCT 77 12 Passed
Change of names of some LG councils: Ebonyi, Oyo, Ogun, Pleateau and Rivers 84 2 Passed
Independent Candidacy 82 5 Passed
The Nigeria Police Force to become Nigerian Police 87 2 Passed
Restriction of the tenure of President and Governor 88 0 Passed
Separation of Office of the Accountant-General 89 0 Passed
Office of Auditor General to be included in first line chat of consolidated revenue 95 0 Passed
Separation of Office of the Attorney General from the Minister/Commissioner of Justice 95 1 Passed
Submissions from the Judiciary 95 2 Passed
Determination of pre-election matters 97 0 Passed
Consequential Amendment on Civil Defence 97 0 Passed
Citizenship and indigenship 49 46 Not Passed
Procedure for Overriding Presidential Veto in Constitutional Alteration 87 4 Passed
Removal of law making power from Executive Arm 89 3 Passed
Investment and Securities Tribunal 76 14 Passed
Reduction of Age for Election 86 10 Passed
Authorization of expenditure time frame for laying Appropriation bill, Passage etc 94 0 Passed
Deletion of NYSC decree from CFRN 88 33 Passed
Deletion of Public Complain Act from CFRN 90 1 Passed
Deletion of National Security Agencies from the CFRN 92 2 Passed
Deletion of land Use Act from CFRN 46 44 Not Passed
Deletion of State INEC from CFRN 73 19 Passed

 

 

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