The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill proposing the conduct of presidential, gubernatorial, National and state Houses of Assembly and local government polls on the same day.
The proposed legislation was among 39 Constitution alteration bills passed by second reading and referred to the Committee on Constitution Review at yesterday’s plenary.
The bill sponsored by the chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere and 34 others is proposing a simultaneous conduct of all elections on a date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Electoral Act 2022 provides for the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly election on the same day and the conduct of gubernatorial and state assemblies, as well as local government elections, on a separate date to be fixed by the electoral body.
Similarly, the House approved for second reading a bill proposing the determination of all appeals from Election Petition Tribunals before the swearing in of the President elect, Vice President elect as well as members elect of the National and state assemblies.
The bill sponsored by Mansur Manu Soro and titled: “A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the determination of all appeals arising from election petitions tribunals prior to the swearing-in of president-elect, vice president-elect, governor-elect, deputy governor-elect, members-elect of the national and state assemblies and for related matters,” is proposing alteration of Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The proposed alteration reads: “That all appeals arising from the presidential, governorship, national and state assemblies election petition tribunals shall be determined by the appellate courts prior to the swearing-in of candidates returned as winners by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”
Furthermore, the parliament is also seeking to alter the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to make the Court of Appeal the final arbiter in litigations arising from governorship, National and State Assemblies elections.
The bill is sponsored by the member representing Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwuani Federal Constituency of Delta, Nnamdi Ezechi.
Currently, Section 233 of the 1999 Constitution ( as amended) vests on the Supreme Court the power to determine the validity of a gubernatorial election. While Section 246(3) of the Constitution provides that the Court of Appeal shall be the final arbiter in disputes arising from the National and State Assemblies elections.
Also, the Green chamber passed for second reading a bill for the establishment of the National Local Government Electoral Commission to be saddled with the conduct of local government elections in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The bill, which is sponsored by the deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu, and six others, according to the sponsors, is intended to ensure “ the credibility, transparency, and fairness of local government elections and promote democratic governance at the grassroots level.”
Furthermore, the House passed a bill to alter the Constitution to specify the timeframe within which the Executive shall present to the National Assembly any treaty between Nigeria and any other country.
The proposed legislation, which is also sponsored by Kalu, stipulates that any treaty between Nigeria and any other country shall be presented to the National Assembly not later than 180 days for ratification.
The bills seeking creation of state and local governments police, special legislatives seats for Persons With Disability (PWD) and Special Interest Groups also scaled second reading.
The bills were among the 39 constitutional amendment bills seeking judicial and legislative security as well as electoral reforms, sponsored by different members of the house and passed without debate.
The bills, according to the house, are:
“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to provide for special seats for the physically challenged persons in Nigeria’s Federal, State and Local Government Areas and Legislative Houses and for related matters”, sponsored by Tajudeen Abbas and Marcus Onobun;
“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to provide for six special seats for special interest groups in the House of Representatives and for related matters”, sponsored by Akintunde Rotimi;
“Bill for An Act to Alter the Constitution to provide for the establishment of State Police and Local Government Police and for related matters”, sponsored by Rep. Francis Waive (APC-Delta) and Rep. Akintunde Rotimi;
“Bill an Act to alter the Constitution to permit public servants to engage in healthcare education, production and services beyond farming and for related matters”, sponsored by Rep. Ahmed Wase (APC- Plateau);
“Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution to ensure gender equality in the composition of the Federal Character Commission and for related matters” by Kaftlat Ogbara;
“Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution to establish and empower the Political Parties Registration and Regulatory Commission to register, regulate and monitor the organisation and operation of political parties, and for related matters” by Aminu Daura (APC-Katsina);
“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to confer jurisdiction on the Federal High Court to try offences arising from violations of the Electoral Act and any other Related Act of the National Assembly”, Rep. Muktar Shagaya;
“Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to provide for transition of substantive heads of Courts in Nigeria and to strengthen the procedure for removal of judicial officers in order to guaranteed the independence of the judiciary; and for related matters” and
“Bill for an Act to alter sections 68(1) (g) &109(1)(g) of the Constitution to require the official resignation from a political party before defection by members of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly and for related matters” by Adebayo Balogun.
In his ruling, Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, referred all the 39 bills to the Committee on Review of the Constitution for further legislative actions.
The Sun Nigeria
