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Constitution Review: NASS Bows To Govs On LG Autonomy …Directs Clerk To Transmit 35 Bills To Buhari For Assent …27 State Assemblies Okay Amendment Bills
The National Assembly has eaten the humble pie by bowing to the 36 state governors over the refusal of autonomy for local government councils as proposed in the 44 Constitution amendment bills forwarded to state Houses of Assembly for concurrence in March, 2022.
Consequently, the National Assembly has directed its Clerk, Sani Tambuwal, to as a matter of urgency; transmit the 35 bills that have so far met the requirement of the provisions of Section 9(2) of the Constitution to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent in line with the provisions of the Acts’ Authentication Act.
With the forwarding of the 35 bills to Buhari for assent, nine have so far been rejected by the state houses.
Out of the 44 Constitution alteration bills forwarded to state Houses of Assembly for concurrence, only 35 were voted for by 24 out of the 36 state Houses of Assembly.
The complete exclusion of financial and administrative autonomies for local government councils lost out.
Twenty-seven state Houses of Assembly have, however, forwarded their resolutions on 35 constitution amendment bills to the National Assembly, with nine states remaining.
The state Houses of Assembly that were yet to forward their resolutions to the National Assembly are: Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara.
The National Assembly has also asked the remaining nine state Houses of Assembly that were yet to forward their resolutions on the constitution amendment bills to do so in order to fulfil their constitutionally-imposed legislative obligation.
The resolutions of the Senate, yesterday, were sequel to a motion titled, “Passage of Constitution(Fifth) Alteration Bills, 2023” sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, OvieOmo-Agege(APC, Delta Central) and supported by 65 other senators.
The motion was presented, yesterday, at the Chamber by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator OpeyemiBamidele(APC, Ekiti Central) on behalf of Omo-Agege who, as deputy president of the Senate, chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review.
Recall that the National Assembly had, through Omo-Agege-led joint ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review,last October, lampooned the governors for not allowing the various state assemblies to concur with Constitution amendment proposals for financial and administrative autonomies for the 774 local government councils.
The committee had threatened the governors that it would mobilise the organised labour, particularly local government employees, against the various state governments on the bills for the required concurrence.
The directive that the clerk should forward the bills to Buhari for assent is coming three months after the threat.
Some of the nine bills that failed passage at the state assemblies were: the one that sought for abrogation of the State Joint Local Government Account and provide for a special account into which shall be paid all allocations due local governments from the Federation Account and from the government of the state; and for related matters.
Another bill was the one on the establishment of local government as a tier of government by guaranteeing their democratic existence, tenure; and related matters.
The one that sought for institutionalisation of legislative bureaucracy in the Constitution; and for related matters as well as the one that sought for the inclusion of presiding officers of the National Assembly in the membership of the National Security Council; and for related matters, among others.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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