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The Nigerian Senate voted to amend some key elements of the country’s Constitution Wednesday,
amidst growing complaints by some citizens that the document has become increasingly unworkable. Advertisement
The chamber voted on financial autonomy to local government areas, independent candidacy,
restriction of executive offices to one term, affirmative action for women, amongst others.
Interestingly, the area of devolution of powers, which has become a subject of passionate debate
across the country in recent years, was roundly rejected the lawmakers.
Good governance advocates, and increasingly politicians, argue that the Constitution concentrates too
much powers at the centre, at the expense of state authorities that are more closer to the citizens.
Thirty-three bills were sponsored by senators for amendments to various sections of the Constitution.
This amendment was proposed to make former President of the Senate and former Speakers of the
House of Representatives members of the influential National Council of State. It was adopted by the
senators.
The Council of States currently consists of the President (chairman of the council), the Vice-President
(deputy chairman), all former presidents and all former heads of the state, all former Chief Justices of
Nigeria, the President of the Senate (incumbent), the Speaker of the House of Representatives
(incumbent), all state governors (incumbents), and the Attorney-General of the Federation
(incumbent).
Senators approved an amendment that will see state legislators superintend over their own budget,
rather than the existing practice that gives governors powers to appropriate expenses of lawmakers.
The proposal says local government administrators should be allowed to manage their own accounts
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ANALYSIS: The 33 major amendments the Senate considered f... https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/238287-analy...
as against the existing policy in which governors exert powers over allocations to local government
areas.
This section, if amended, will allow separate accounts for local governments from states for receiving
monthly federal allocation.
The collapsed proposal also sought to clarify identified ambiguities in the procedure for state creation.
One senator, however, rejected the amendment. The identity of the senator and reasons for the action
are unknown.
Senators complain that the executive neither rejects, vetoes nor assents to several bills they passed
after several months, leaving them confused on the fate of such bills. This proposal seeks to end this by
making any bill that is passed by the National Assembly automatically become law if the executive fails
to reject, veto or sign it into law after 30 days of transferring same to the president.
The amendment will require the governor to attach specific portfolio (ministry) to every commissioner
nominee for House of Assembly confirmation.
Senators approved constitutional amendment to give a slot to the Federal Capital Territory in the
Federal Executive Council. Currently, only the 36 states of the federation are given at least one
ministerial slot each in the federal cabinet.
An amendment proposal for flexibility in the change of name of local government areas was approved
by the Senate today.
Changes will be easily effected to spelling and other errors in the name of any local government.
For instance, Atisbo Local Government Area in Oyo State is erroneously spelt in the Constitution as
‘Atigbo Local Government Area’.
Senate adopted an amendment to change the name of Nigeria Police Force to Nigeria Police in order
to reflect the organisation’s core mandate.
19. Restriction of the tenure of President and Governor After Completion of Tenure of
President or Governor to run for just one term — adopted
This proposal seeks to ban anyone who succeeds a president or a governor and completes the tenure of
such president or governor from contesting for that same office more than once.
For instance, the situation in which former President Goodluck Jonathan completed the tenure of late
President Umar Yar’Adua between 2010-2011, participated in the 2011 election and won a four-year
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ANALYSIS: The 33 major amendments the Senate considered f... https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/238287-analy...
term and still ran for election again in the 2015 election will no longer be permitted if the proposed A new leak: Paradise Papers
amendment scales through.
What the senators now propose essentially means that when someone succeeds a president or a A new leak: Paradise Papers
governor, the person is considered to be spending the first of the two-term privilege the Constitution
gives to an individual to run for office.
21. Office of the Auditor-General to be included in first line charges of consolidated Paradise Papers: Secrets of the Global Elite
revenue — adopted
The Senate proposes that funding for this office should be prioritised.
Paradise Papers: Secrets of the …
22. Separation of Office of the Attorney General from the Minister/Commissioner of
Justice — adopted
If this amendment is approved, the Attorney-General of the Federation will no longer be the Minister
of Justice and attorney-general of a state will no longer be commissioner of justice.
This amendment will make it possible to set timelines for determining pre-election matters.
Core functions of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps will be incorporated in the Constitution.
Proposed amendment to give married women the right to choose where they want to claim as their
state of origin for the purpose of standing election narrowly passed.
The proposal seeks to give the legislature the power to override the president’s veto on matters of
amendment to the Constitution without the president’s final signature.
Senators seek to delete four special laws placed under the Transitional Provisions and Savings
component of the Constitution.
The National Youth Service Corps Decree (1993), the Public Complaints Commission Act, and the
National Security Agencies will be stripped off their special status that makes it difficult to effect any
amendment into them.
The senators described them ”law making powers’ of the executive because it requires the same
process needed to amend the Constitution itself to amend any section of these laws.
If the amendment passes, the three laws will now be part of regular laws in the statute books and can
be easily altered by the National Assembly.
The proposal seeks to establish the Investments and Securities Tribunal in the Constitution to deal
with capital markets and other investments matters.
31. Authorisation of expenditure time frame for laying Appropriation bill, Passage —
adopted
This proposed amendment targets a timeline for the president and governors to present their
respective budget proposals for the next fiscal year.
Some analysts have argued that the current budgeting process in the country is unsustainable,
and proffer some solutions.
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