House Endorses Independent Candidacy

House of Representatives on Tuesday endorsed independent candidacy for future political aspirants after a request by President Umaru Yar’Adua for constitution amendment had gone through the second reading.

The constitutional clauses submitted for amendment by Yar’Adua seek to broaden the political space by allowing aspirants to public office run without political affiliations and to make Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) independent of the executive in funding.

The proposed amendments as contained in the “Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and for matters connected thereto, 2009” are drawn from the Muhammed Uwais’ committee report on electoral reforms.

In a lead debate, House Leader, Tunde Akogun, said “the bill provides for independent candidates, thereby expanding the political space for persons seeking election as the president, governor, members of the national assembly and the state Houses of Assembly.”

Other highpoints of the bill, he stated, include the amendment of section 84 of the constitution on the remuneration of the president and certain other officers.

“This section is sought to be amended to make funding of the INEC a first line charge on the consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.”

The bill also canvasses amendment to a section that “seeks to exclude the decision of the administrative panel of inquiry as a condition for disqualifying a candidate for election to the office of the governor.”

Other amendments are “provision of the constitution dealing with the restriction on formation of political parties.”

“This amendment proposes an additional condition for an association to function as a political party so as to check the proliferation of non-functional political parties,” Akogun noted.

The bill also seeks “to amend the constitution by providing for an affirmative action for increased women participation in executive positions.”

Minority leader, muhammed Ali Ndume, in his contribution, said with reports from national political reform conference, Uwais’ committee report and the immediate past efforts to amend the constitution, the job of the national assembly was half done.