Constitution: Senate Overturns Reps On President, Gov’s Immunity …Passes 23 Amendments, Sends Copy To State Assemblies

Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari (left), with Mrs Mediline Abam, during the 60th birthday ceremony of Dr Claribel Abam, Executive Secretary, Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board in Port Harcourt, last Saturday.

The Senate yesterday, passed the harmonised version of amended constitution earlier approved by the House of Representatives.
By the development, the National Assembly has ratified all the 23 clauses and sections that had been amended by both chambers.
The newly amended document which would be sent to States Houses of Assembly, for approval, retained the immunity clause in the constitution for the President and Governors.
It also made provisions for Independent candidacy in future elections in Nigeria by amending sections 65 and 106 of the 1999 constitution.
The National Assembly also granted financial and administrative autonomy through amendment of section 7, to the 774 local government areas of the country.
It conferred immunity on the lawmakers in respect of words spoken or written in the exercise of their legislative duties through amendment of section four.
Section 9 of the constitution was also amended by removing the need for Presidential assent in constitution alteration exercise.
The new amendment also makes it mandatory for the President to deliver a State of the Nation Address to a joint meeting of the National Assembly once a year as contained in section 67.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, was also being empowered through the new amendments.
The INEC, by the amendment, can now de-register political parties for non-fulfillment of certain conditions like breach of registration requirements and failure to secure or win either a presidential, governorship, Local Government Chairmanship or a seat in the National or State Assembly.
Another striking feature of the amendments is section 124 which abolishes State Independent Electoral Commission and creates the office of the Auditor -General of the Local Government as well as the State Local Government Service Commission.
Also, for the purpose of accountability and efficient service delivery, it amended Section 81.
The Section which provides for the funding of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, Office of the Attorney-General of the federation, National Security Agencies, the Nigerian Police, the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.
Similarly, the Senate yesterday passed a bill aimed at bringing development to the nation’s border communities by strengthening the legal framework that would provide additional source of funding for the Border Communities Development Agency.
The bill, which was tagged, an Act to amend the Border Communities Development Agency Act Cap, B10 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, was sponsored by Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (Accord Party, Oyo South).
The joint committee noted that the agency, in collaboration with the office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, would identify settlements, villages and towns across 108 local government areas in 21 states that are 15 kilometers from the nation’s borders, for effective policing and massive development.
It listed the affected states to include, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.
The bill proposed the deduction of at least 20 per cent from the Ecological Funds to tackle infrastructure decay, and provide health facilities, schools, and adequate security arrangements in all the affected communities.
Presenting the report of the Senate Joint Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, and that of Local Government Administration, the Chairman, Senator Umaru Dahiru, explained that the agency would now be able to discharge its statutory mandate effectively.
According to him, the inhabitants would enjoy provision of basic amenities, such as safe drinking water, electricity, medical care and other infrastructure that would improve their living standards.
He said, “The bill also seeks to strengthen our borders so as to reduce the porous nature of our territorial boundaries in order to check incessant incidences of security challenges as well as human trafficking in the border region.
“The situation is so bad now that when given opportunity to choose between their country and the neighbouring countries, it is our modest belief that the inhabitants would prefer to be citizens of those countries which have basic amenities required for a decent living.”